Some Entrepreneurs’ Characteristics and Cameroonian Small and Medium Size Enterprises’ (SMEs) Access to Credit

Research on access to finance of large enterprises has been flourishing in the finance literature while studies relating to small and medium size enterprises have been less common in Sub-Saharan African countries specifically. In this research we investigate the link between some entrepreneurs’ characteristics (experience, gender and perception of entrepreneur) and Cameroonian SMEs access to credit. This study used the World Bank Enterprises Survey data from 324 Cameroonian SMEs. From descriptive analysis and Independence sample T-test, we found that gender is relevant to explain SMEs’ access to credit. Program policies aimed at SMEs’ entrepreneurs must encourage female entrepreneurs to diversify their financial resources through external formal financial resources.