The Effect of Liquidity Risk Management on Financial Performance of Commercial Banks in Sierra Leone

Abstract

The global financial crisis in the past decade clearly highlighted the relevance of strategic and coherent measures in relation to liquidity risk management in financial systems across the world. The financial meltdown clearly exposed significant failures within the structures of the financial systems that support liquidity management in banks. The need to continuously engage in studies related to financial systems and advice stakeholders accordingly is imperative. The research aims at establishing the nexus between management of liquidity risk and financial returns of commercial banks in Sierra Leone. The study was centered on a representative sample of 8 commercial banks for five years period (2013 to 2017). Secondary data were collected from the 8 commercial banks and the Central bank of Sierra Leone. Descriptive study design was adopted and multiple regression analyses model was also adopted to analyze the association between the outcome and predictor parameters. Significant negative association between liquidity risk management and financial returns of commercial banks in Sierra Leone was revealed. 43.7% of the deviation in financial returns (ROA) was explained by the predictor parameters. Stakeholders should therefore ensure that appropriate mechanisms to manage liquidity risks in the banking sector are adopted to ensure resilience and improved financial returns for commercial banks in Sierra Leone