| Abstrakt: |
The accessibility of credit to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by commercial banks in Nigeria is influenced by internal and external factors. This study evaluates the combined impact of these factors on SMEs' growth, using data spanning 1990 to 2023. The findings reveal that internal factors, such as bank size, interest rate, liquidity ratio, and credit risk, significantly and positively affect SMEs' credit accessibility, with a coefficient of 0.039110 at a 5% significance level (p-value = 0.0254). Conversely, external factors, including cash reserves, exchange rates, and inflation rates, demonstrate an insignificant and negative influence, with a coefficient of -0.014003 (p-value = 0.2757). These results highlight the crucial role of internal determinants in enhancing credit accessibility for SMEs, thereby driving their growth in Nigeria. Policymakers are advised to focus on refining monetary policies, particularly cash reserve requirements, to improve SME financing. This study contributes to the discourse on SME growth by emphasizing the significance of commercial banks' internal factors while acknowledging the limited role of external elements in facilitating credit accessibility for SMEs in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
