Cairo, Egypt, November 2, 2026 – IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, today announced an investment of $100 million in Egypt’s Banque du Caire, in its initial public offering (IPO), equivalent to an approximately 7% equity stake. IFC’s participation in the IPO aims to strengthen the bank’s capacity to expand financing for businesses and households across the country.
Access to finance remains critical to enabling Egypt’s private sector to grow, invest, and create jobs. This is particularly important for micro, small, and medium enterprises, which contribute more than one-third of Egypt’s GDP and employ almost 40 percent of its workforce, yet continue to face constraints in accessing the financing they need to grow.
Banque du Caire has made smaller businesses a priority with more than three-quarters of its clients located outside Cairo. With support from IFC’s investment, by 2030 Banque du Caire expects to more than double the number of customers it finances, from about 899,000 to 1.9 million, while increasing its total lending from about $5 billion to $8.9 billion.
Hussein Abaza, CEO and Managing Director of Banque du Caire, said: “The successful completion of Banque du Caire’s IPO marks a defining milestone in the bank’s history and a new chapter in its continued evolution. It reflects the strength of our banking franchise, the resilience of our business model and the confidence of investors in the bank’s strategic direction and long-term prospects. As a publicly listed institution, we remain focused on building on our established strengths, maintaining disciplined risk management and sound governance, and pursuing sustainable growth that creates lasting value for our shareholders, customers and the wider economy. We value IFC’s participation as a long-term institutional investor and look forward to further strengthening our partnership in support of the bank’s next phase of development.”
IFC and Banque du Caire have an established partnership focused on expanding access to finance for businesses in Egypt, particularly smaller enterprises. In 2024, IFC committed $50 million to the bank to support its lending operations to micro, small, and medium enterprises, half of which was dedicated to women-owned businesses through a five-year loan, in addition to signing a $50 million line for trade finance guarantees. IFC’s partnership with Banque du Caire extends well beyond capital. IFC has supported the bank in developing an Environmental and Social Management System and strengthening its corporate governance – key foundations for long-term performance and sustainability.
“Our latest investment with Banque du Caire reflects IFC’s commitment to empowering Egypt’s financial sector,” said Ary Naïm, IFC’s Division Director for North Africa and the Horn of Africa. “Through our partnership, we aim to help businesses access the finance they need to grow, invest, and create more and better jobs, while mobilizing private capital to support Egypt’s development priorities.”
Egypt continues to advance its agenda to increase private sector participation in the economy and mobilize private investment in the country. IFC’s investment in Banque du Caire supports the Government of Egypt’s Asset Monetization Program (AMP) and complements IFC’s broader support to the government on unlocking more space for private sector participation in the economy. Banque du Caire’s IPO is part of that effort, with the potential to expand the bank’s investor base and attract additional domestic and international private capital.
The investment is made jointly with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which is also participating in the offering for the same investment amount of USD 100 million, bringing the total investment made by both Multilateral Development Banks to USD 200 million.
The project aligns with the World Bank Group’s Country Partnership Framework for Egypt for FY2023-2027, including its focus on more and better private sector jobs and increased private sector participation. It builds on IFC’s 50-year partnership with Egypt and the World Bank Group’s broader work to help create the conditions for greater private investment. Since fiscal year 2022, the World Bank Group has mobilized nearly $6.7 billion in private capital for Egypt, combining reforms, financing, guarantees, and partnerships to unlock investment in support of the country’s development priorities.
Source: www.ifc.org
