Asymmetry of Information on Credit Reference Bureaus for Bank Customers in Kenya: A Case Study of Nakuru Town

Abstract

Credit Reference Bureaus (CRBs) are institutions that collect information from banks, creditors and available public sources on a borrower’s credit history. The role of CRBs in Credit Information Sharing (CIS) is to compile database of customers’ credit information and generate Credit Reports which banks and other authorized lenders use to appraise the credit worthiness of the customers. The purpose of the study was to establish the nature and extent of the information which the customers lacked about CIS and the causes of the asymmetry of information with a view to improving awareness and participation. The researchers conducted unstructured interviews involving customers from banks in Nakuru town, and wrote their responses verbatim. The data was analyzed qualitatively by identifying major themes, coding them, and carrying out content analysis. The researchers found that 62% of the customers were unaware of CIS. Furthermore, the informed customers had more exposure to their obligations in the CIS and the consequences of violating them. In contrast, they had no or little information about their rights and how they could benefit, hence low participation. Therefore, the policymakers and promoters of the CIS in Kenya should develop message content that highlights the benefits and rights of customers in the CIS