Should Microfinance Institutions Diversify or Focus? A Global Analysis

This paper investigates the effects of revenue diversification on the financial performance of microfinance institutions (MFIs). The long-standing question about whether financial institutions should diversify or focus is a topic of ongoing debate. Using a global sample of MFIs, we investigate which view is appropriate for microfinance institutions. The results show that, diversification across revenue streams improves sustainability and profitability of MFIs. This suggests that revenue diversification is an important strategy for the sustainability of microfinance