Determinants of Sustainability of Informal Community-Based Financial Groups: Insights from a Survival Analysis Approach

Roger Aganze, Roy Mersland, Bert D’Espallier and Kjetil Andersson

Journal of Development Studies, 2025, vol. 61, issue 10, 1660-1682

Abstract: This study examines the survival factors of informal community-based financial groups in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger over the period 2014 to 2018. The results identify group size, meeting attendance, financial performance, and engagement in ‘plus activities’ as key predictors of savings group survival. The more efficiently funds are used and the higher the returns on savings, the more groups sustain their operations in the long run, irrespective of the absolute amount of savings per member. Similarly, active group engagement and involvement in additional non-financial activities alongside the core financial activities, also contribute to long-run survival. These findings highlight that social capital and financial efficiency should be at the forefront when designing savings-groups programs.

Date: 2025
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Journal Article: Determinants of Sustainability of Informal Community-Based Financial Groups: Insights from a Survival Analysis Approach (2025)
Working Paper: Determinants of Sustainability of Informal Community-Based Financial Groups: Insights from a Survival Analysis Approach (2025)
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DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2025.2487014

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