The Effect of Credit Reference Bureau Information Sharing on Credit Assessment in Financial Institutions in Uganda

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) information sharing on credit assessment in financial institutions in Uganda. The objectives of the study were to examine the effect of financial information on credit assessment in financial Institutions in Uganda, and to examine the effect of non-financial information on credit assessment in financial Institutions in Uganda. The study adopted a descriptive survey design on 33 regulated financial institutions in Uganda (Bank of Uganda, 2015) with a sample size of 30 respondents selected using both purposive sampling and census. The study found that financial information on credit reports by financial institutions were significantly used during credit assessment just like the non-financial information. The study recommended that stakeholders need to work together to continually ensure that CRB information shared is relevant, accurate, reliable, accessible and secure because the information will affect significantly the credit assessment decisions. Furthermore, financial institutions, central bank and CRB service providers need to continuously develop financial literacy programmes for the public so that the public can understand the importance and use of the CRB information since it plays a crucial role in the financial sector. The study further recommends that there is need to revise and enact laws and put in place enabling regulations to broaden the scope of CRB information to include more financial stakeholders as evidenced in other countries according to IFC.