Initiative for financing SMEs and farmers - Sejko: 907 billion lek loans for the private sector
The new partnership between the state, the banking system and Albanian entrepreneurship for the National Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Financing Program "Double Your Entrepreneurship" was signed today at the Bank of Albania, an initiative to support Albanian businesses, promote economic development and create more opportunities for entrepreneurs.
The signing ceremony, which was also attended by Prime Minister Edi Rama, emphasized the importance of creating new financial instruments to support the economy and the private sector. In his speech, the Governor of the Bank of Albania noted the significant increase in lending to the economy, describing it as a positive development for the financial sector.
According to him, credit to the private sector has recorded an average annual growth of around 15% over the last two years.
"The private sector loan portfolio stood at 907 billion lek at the end of March 2026, up from 575 billion lek five years ago. Likewise, private sector loans have recorded an average annual growth of around 15% over the last two years, or approximately 107 billion lek per year, while new loans granted during 2025 were around 423 billion lek. Currently, bank loans constitute one of the largest monetary flows in the economy and are by far the main financing instrument for Albanian businesses and families," he said.
However, Sejko stressed that small and medium-sized enterprises continue to have more limited access to financing. “The SME segment has relatively low access to credit and constitutes a national priority for economic growth,” he said.
The Governor announced that, "for more than a year, the Bank of Albania has approved and implemented a Financing Program for Small and Medium-sized Businesses, which aims to reduce credit costs for this essential segment of the Albanian economy. In parallel, the Albanian Government has approved a Sovereign Guarantee Scheme, with the aim of reducing credit risk for operators in the agricultural sector. In our judgment, these two instruments offer a good starting point for addressing this problem."
Sejko said that the progress made over the last two years is undoubtedly an encouraging premise. He called on the banking industry to pay greater attention to financing the SME sector, especially the agricultural sector.
"This sector carries untapped potential for the expansion of the banking industry, contributing to the long-term development of the country and without compromising prudential norms. On the other hand, I would like to address small and medium-sized businesses themselves, encouraging them to approach banks and consider them not only as a stable and low-cost source of financing, but also as a valuable financial consultant and reliable development partner," said Sejko.
According to him, the initiative is expected to influence the increase in investments, improvement in productivity and sustainable development of the Albanian economy.
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