Grameen Koota microfinance leads,20 Indian MFIs in MIX global ranking

By Nagesh Narayana

Microfinance Focus, March 4, 2010: Bangalore-based NBFC-Microfinance, GFSPL ( Grameen Financial Services Pvt. Ltd) popularly known as Grameen Koota  was placed fourth in the rank of top 100 microfinance institutions in the world by the  Microfinance Exchange (MIX) in terms of performance in 2009. This year, 20 MFIs from India figured in the list of top 100 MFIs ranked by the MIX with GFSPL topping Indian MFIs.

GFSPL jumped from a rank of 180 in 2008 to 4 in 2009 with an overall percentile of 82.2% from its last year’s 68.9%.
Closely behind it is Hyderabad-based microfinance institution SKS Microfinance, ranked 7th with a percentile of 81.2%. Others in the list are Spandana ranked 8 with a 80.9 percentile, BASIX ranked 11 with 80.3%, SHARE at 12 with 80.3%, Bandhan at 13 with 80.3%.

Others in the list are VFS (15), AML (18), GV (20), SWAWS (23), GU (28), BISWA (31), Cashpor MC (33), SKDRDP (39), Saadhana (45), Sarvodaya Nano Finance (57), SMSS (78), BSS (84), ESAF (86) and NEED (89).

“Expanding access outside of the southern states, the hub of Indian microfinance over the last decade, has provided ample market for continued growth”, said a report released by MIX on Thursday.

In fact, Indian MFIs doubled in numbers from 10 to 20 in 2009 ranking of top 100, as their growth trends continued well into 2008 and 2009, an exception to the slower growth in other markets. Even as top performers halved their annual growth rates from 200% to 100%, Indian institutions in the top 100 managed to increase their client base by an additional 75% over the prior year, according to MIX.

Perennially low operating costs kept Indian MFIs achieving high marks in efficiency, the report noted. On average, these institutions ranked six percentage points above their peers in this category.

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