Informal Savings and Credit Institutions in the Urban Areas: The Case of Cooperative Credit Unions

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Less developed countries are usually characterized by a dualistic financial system: the formal and informal credit system. One form of the latter is the Cooperative Credit Union (CCU), which at present finds shelter in the private and government offices as well as in public markets. Analysis presented in this paper points to the fact that the ten sample CCUs have performed well without government subsidies. Without regulation, they are more likely to introduce more innovations. However, to successfully develop a cooperative, a concerted effort should be developed among leaders.