FNB has used DFI-supported facilities to scale lending at lower interest rates and provide finance to businesses that may not meet traditional commercial risk criteria.
These partnerships have also allowed the bank to extend support to initiatives linked to sustainability, women-owned businesses, and sector-specific projects such as agriculture, rural development, and healthcare.
By June 2024, FNB had contracted R33.2bn in DFI-supported funding, including R13.2bn to SMEs, R1.6bn to women in business, and R16.5bn for green buildings, renewable energy, and climate adaptation projects.
In April 2025, FNB announced a R1.8bn credit risk-sharing facility with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) under the Small Loan Guarantee Program, supported by a financial guarantee from the European Commission’s European Fund for Sustainable Development. The facility allows IFC to cover 50% of credit losses on qualifying loans, expanding FNB’s risk capacity to support SMEs across multiple sectors.
Earlier, the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank (FMO) and FNB signed an R847m facility through NASIRA, further increasing lending capacity for small and medium-sized enterprises in South Africa.
DFI partnerships also provide SMEs with additional benefits beyond financing, including access to technical assistance, digital inclusion, market entry support, and capacity-building initiatives. These resources aim to reduce project risk and strengthen institutional knowledge for participating businesses.
FNB is a gold sponsor of the Global SME Finance Forum 2025 Annual Summit, a G20 side event that brings together global leaders in finance, policy, and innovation to discuss SME development and inclusion, particularly for women-led enterprises.
