Financial Control Authority: 53% of women benefited from micro-enterprise financing in the first quarter of 2026

Cairo – Nadeh Imam: The General Authority for Financial Supervision organized a seminar titled “Financial Inclusion and Sustainable Development,” in collaboration with UN Women, the National Council for Women, the European Union, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The event was held at the Authority’s headquarters in the Smart Village, with participation from representatives of financial institutions, development partners, and a number of experts and specialists in the fields of financial inclusion and sustainable development.

Dr. Islam Azam, Chairman of the General Authority for Financial Supervision, attended the seminar’s events. He emphasized that financial inclusion is no longer limited to providing financial services, but has become one of the main drivers for achieving growth and enhancing economic efficiency. This contributes to strengthening the ability of various segments of society to access appropriate financial services and products, positively impacting citizens’ living standards in line with the goals of the Egyptian state.

The Chairman clarified that women’s economic empowerment represents one of the key pillars for achieving comprehensive development. He pointed out that the latest statistics on microfinance activities for the first quarter of 2026 revealed that women account for 53% of total beneficiaries, amounting to 1.8 million women, with balances representing approximately 45% of the total financing granted, which reached 74 billion Egyptian pounds.

He affirmed that the Authority is continuously working to develop the legislative and regulatory environment for non-banking financial activities, ensuring an expansion of the base of beneficiaries of financial services and encouraging innovation in the design of financial products to meet the needs of various segments, particularly women and youth in the most deprived areas and residents of remote regions.