Claim: Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has claimed that Ghana will become the second African country to implement a credit scoring system.
Verdict: False. Countries like Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda all have robust credit scoring systems that give credit to individuals after assessing their creditworthiness.
Full Text
The Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has claimed that with South Africa being the first, Ghana will become the second African country to implement a credit scoring system. He made this statement during a visit to the chief and residents of Yeji in the Pru East District of the Bono Region.
In his delivery, he indicated that the system, when launched in November, will make Ghana the second African country to have a credit scoring system.
Dr Bawumia emphasised that the credit scoring system is part of his vision to introduce transformative policies that will improve the lives of Ghanaians.
“Either this October or next November, Ghana will launch its credit scoring system. In all of Sub-Saharan Africa, only one country, South Africa, has a credit scoring system. Ghana will be the second African country to have one,” he said.
Several news outlets, including JoyNews (00:46–1:10) and GhOne (1:00–1:13), have widely reported on this claim.
Verification
First, DUBAWA sought to bring an understanding of the difference between credit scoring and credit rating systems.
Credit Scoring System
This is individual-focused. It quantifies a person’s creditworthiness with a numerical score based on personal financial data like payment history, amounts owed, and length of credit history. This score helps lenders assess the risk of offering loans to individuals. It’s commonly used for personal credit decisions, such as loans, mortgages, and credit cards. In simple terms, a credit scoring system is like a report card for your financial behaviour.
It gives you a score based on how well you handle money, such as paying bills on time, managing loans, and using credit cards. Lenders, like banks, use this score to decide if they should give you a loan or credit and how much interest to charge. A high score means you’re good at managing money, so it’s easier to get loans with better terms. If your score is low, it can be harder to borrow money because you’re seen as a higher risk.
Credit Rating System
This is typically used for institutions, companies, or governments. It provides an evaluation of the creditworthiness of an entity, often expressed in letter grades. This allows investors, banks, and other stakeholders to assess the risk of investing in bonds, issuing loans, or making investments. Examples are the S&P Global Ratings, Moody’s, and Fitch Ratings.
As such, it is understood that the flagbearer of the NPP, Dr Bawumia, refers to the credit scoring system, which is specifically individual-based.
Will Ghana be the second country to have a credit scoring system after South Africa after it is launched in November 2024?
No, DUBAWA’s research found that several African countries already have credit scoring systems. Countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda, and others have implemented these systems.
Kenya
Kenya’s credit scoring system has been crucial in assessing an individual’s or business’s creditworthiness since 2017. It is mainly driven by data collected from credit reference bureaus (CRBs) licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK). Key licensed credit reference bureaus are Metropol and Creditinfo. These bureaus aim to enhance the credit reporting system in Kenya and facilitate access to credit for individuals and businesses.
Nigeria
Nigeria has a nationally regulated credit scoring system overseen by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Bureaus like CRC Credit Bureau, Credit Registry, and First Central Credit Bureau are all among the main credit reporting agencies in Nigeria. More evidently, one could even request his credit score from these agencies. For instance, with the CRC Credit Bureau, one can request his or her credit score.
Other countries, including Rwanda, Uganda and Morocco, have similar systems in place. Therefore, the claim by the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party that Ghana would be the second African country to have a credit scoring system is inaccurate.
According to the evidence, however, it is not true that Ghana will be the second country to have a credit scoring system. Other countries like Kenya and Rwanda have implemented such measures.
Conclusion
The flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, claims that Ghana will become the second African country to implement a credit scoring system, but this is false. Other African countries already have such a policy in place.
