• EBRD provides a USD 100M loan to NBE to support Egyptian MSMEs, focusing on women-led, youth-led, and rural entrepreneurship.
• The financing strengthens Egypt’s private sector, building on NBE’s role in Women in Business and Youth in Business programs.
• The project builds on NBE’s longstanding partnership with EBRD, targeting funding gaps for women-led, youth-led, and rural MSMEs.

NBE

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a USD 100 million loan to the National Bank of Egypt (NBE). This loan aims to support MSMEs in Egypt, with a focus on rural outreach and women- and youth-led entrepreneurship. 

“This transaction between our the largest Egyptian bank, NBE, and the EBRD is a great example of how Egypt establishes IFI partnerships and how we are advancing private-sector empowerment and mobilizing investment by expanding access to finance for banks and companies,” said H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development & International Cooperation and Egypt’s Governor at the EBRD. 

MSMEs

This project builds on the longstanding relationship between the EBRD and NBE. In this initiative, NBE will lend this financing to private Egyptian MSMEs. The initiative seeks to reduce the funding gap faced by women-led, youth-led, and rural MSMEs in Egypt. Thus far, the Egyptian bank has been an important partner to the EBRD in piloting the flagship Women in Business and Youth in Business programmes in Egypt.

“Together, we are expanding opportunities for MSMEs across the country – especially for women- and youth-led businesses that are driving innovation and inclusive growth,” said EBRD’s First Vice President, Greg Guyett.

The EBRD financing will potentially be accompanied by the mobilisation of extra funding from investors. This, with the possibility that they may provide an additional sum of up to USD 100 million.