The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is boosting support for women entrepreneurs in Egypt with a loan of EGP 700 million (€13.2 million) to Tasaheel for Financing, Egypt’s largest lender to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). This initiative under the EBRD’s Women in Business programme aims to increase access to finance for women-led MSMEs, particularly outside Greater Cairo and Alexandria.
The loan will also be accompanied by a technical assistance package to help Tasaheel introduce new financial products tailored to women-led MSMEs and improve their access to finance. This includes capacity-building activities for specialized lending and monitoring.
The EBRD’s Women in Business programme promotes women’s participation in the economy by providing financial, advisory, training, and mentoring support to women entrepreneurs. Tasaheel, a subsidiary of MNT Halan, has a market share of 26% in Egypt’s microfinance sector and operates in 25 governorates with over 700 branches, serving 2.2 million customers, 62% of whom are women.
Since 2012, the EBRD has invested nearly €11.9 billion in 178 projects in Egypt, covering sectors like finance, agribusiness, manufacturing, services, and infrastructure.
