In this study, a team of local researchers – selected for support under the PAGE initiative in 2014 – aim to assess the effects of financial frictions faced by female entrepreneurs on macroeconomic performance in Cameroon, using advanced techniques of CGE modeling. Their analysis shows that such frictions appear because, when borrowing from the banking sector, female entrepreneurs face restrictions related to collaterals. Their findings also suggest that, when the female sector (relatively more labor-intensive) is granted loans to the same extent as the male sector (more capital-intensive), it performs better in terms of value-added in GDP; meanwhile, both sectors have complementary roles in sustaining economic activity in the context of economic downturn. Based on these findings, the researchers submit a series of recommendations for policy, to both increase financial inclusion and enhance macroeconomic outcomes. Find out more about the research methods, findings and ensued policy recommendations through the following PEP publications:
