Sustainable Jordanian microfinance institutions (MFIs) to date have been successful in
reaching many clients with what are considered the ‘typical” products offered by an MFI –
generic, short term, business purpose term notes. However, in order to expand market
opportunities for the MFIs and improve their competitive positions, it is important to support
product enhancement and diversification efforts. To that end, Chemonics’ Achievement of
Market-Friendly Initiatives and Results (AMIR) program, funded by USAID, contracted
Anita Campion, Microfinance Specialist, to assess what products are currently available to
microentrepreneurs to assist in the expansion and growth of their businesses, as well as to
assess the reasonableness of new product concepts that the four sustainable AMIR partner
MFIs are currently considering. AMIR contracted the Community Development Group
(CDG), a local market research firm, to conduct surveys and focus groups to measure the
current levels of client satisfaction and to assess the interest that current and potential MFI
clients have in new products that the partner MFIs in Jordan are planning to offer. This
document summarizes the key findings of the market research, including findings from the
survey, which was based on input from 306 micro and small enterprises (MSMEs) in Jordan
(164 current and 142 potential MFI clients), as well as ten focus group sessions.