CAPITAL EFFICIENCY AND DEFAULT RISK, EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM COMMERCIAL BANKS IN KENYA

The main objective of this study was to determine effect of capital efficiency on default risk in commercial banks in Kenya. According to the bank supervisory report, the interest rate spread widened to 13 per cent at the end of December 2011 from 10.3 per cent by December 2010 which the CBK Governor termed as a sign of inefficiency in the banking sector. Secondary data was used in the study and descriptive survey design was applied. The target population was 42 Commercial Banks in Kenya out of which 2 were under receivership and 1 was under statutory management. Panel data for 39 commercial banks for the six years period from 2014 to 2019 were obtained from the CBK and individual bank websites. The study was guided by Agency theory, Moral hazard theory and Stakeholders theory. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and random and fixed effects were used for secondary data using E-views software. The findings indicated correlation coefficients of capital adequacy and return on equity of -0.14 and -0.11 respectively signifying a negative correlation between capital efficiency and non-performing loans. It was recommended that capital efficiency be strengthened to reduce non perfuming loans. JEL: G10; G20; G21 Article visualizations