The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have launched a new Masterclasses (MasterTalks) series aimed at promoting inclusive banking best practices and advancing knowledge and innovation across Egypt’s banking sector, in cooperation with the Federation of Egyptian Banks (FEB).
The inaugural session brought together heads of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) units and financial inclusion managers from banks, alongside key stakeholders from Egypt’s financial ecosystem, including the Credit Guarantee Company (CGC), the Egyptian Credit Bureau (i-Score) and the Egyptian Banking Institute (EBI). International experts also participated, sharing insights on the challenges of operationalising artificial intelligence (AI) and showcasing global use cases adapted to emerging markets.
The event marked the official launch of the MasterTalks series, with each session set to focus on a specific theme related to the digital transformation of the banking sector, with the overarching objective of advancing financial inclusion. Discussions underscored the importance of leveraging digital transformation to modernise banking operations and demonstrated how emerging technologies can be integrated into financial systems.
Participants also highlighted the role of AI-driven tools in expanding access to both financial and non-financial services for individuals and MSMEs, helping address their diverse needs and opening new opportunities for financially underserved and excluded segments.
The joint initiative reflects the CBE’s and EBRD’s shared commitment to supporting innovation, strengthening capacity building within the banking sector, and promoting inclusive and sustainable growth across Egypt’s financial system.
It also underscores the CBE’s strong focus on advancing financial inclusion in line with Egypt’s Vision 2030, as part of its broader efforts to achieve economic empowerment and expand access to financial and banking services. These efforts rely heavily on modern technological innovations to accelerate digital transformation across the financial and banking sectors.
As a result, Egypt has recorded a marked improvement in financial inclusion in recent years. As of June 2025, the financial inclusion rate reached 76.3%, representing a 214% increase since 2016. Over the same period, banks’ lending portfolios directed to MSMEs grew by 395%.
Egypt is a founding member of the EBRD. Since the start of the Bank’s operations in the country in 2012, the EBRD has invested more than €13.5bn across 206 projects nationwide.
