With increased competition in the African microfinance industry, customer satisfaction and retention are important issues for microfinance institutions (MFIs) in the region. We rely on survey data from customers of MFIs in Ghana to examine the potential determinants of customer satisfaction in the microfinance sector. We find customer satisfaction to be significantly related to customers’ experiences and motivations such as the size of credit they seek. We further find customers’ demographics such as educational attainment and household income levels to be related to customer satisfaction in the microfinance sector. Our results are largely consistent with the view that MFIs offer a valuable service by expanding access of small credits to poor households and microenterprises who are either denied credit by the formal banking sector or exploited by informal moneylenders. Further, our interviews with managers of MFIs highlight various tactics utilized by MFIs in Ghana to manage their credit risks.

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