PM Lauds Raqami Digital Bank License as Milestone
February 12, 2026
IFC and HabibMetro have launched a risk-sharing facility to increase lending to SMEs and agricultural businesses across Pakistan.
Read more: IFC, Standard Chartered Support Agri Financing Shift
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has partnered with Habib Metropolitan Bank Limited (HabibMetro) to introduce a new risk-sharing facility aimed at expanding access to finance for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), including agri-based businesses, across Pakistan.
The initiative targets a major financing gap in the SME sector, where millions of firms operate with limited access to formal credit despite their significant contribution to employment and economic output.
The facility is designed to encourage greater lending to underserved enterprises, support job creation and strengthen competitiveness in key sectors. It will also help HabibMetro expand its SME loan portfolio in line with its medium-term growth plans.
“Unlocking private capital at scale is essential to close Pakistan’s SME financing gap,” said Momina Aijazuddin, IFC’s Regional Industry Director for Financial Institutions Group, Middle East and Central Asia. “Together with Habib Metropolitan Bank Limited, IFC is deploying a targeted risk-sharing to expand credit for SMEs and agri-centric businesses, to promote growth that is inclusive, sustainable and commercially viable.”
HabibMetro President and CEO Khurram Shahzad Khan said the partnership would allow the bank to broaden its SME outreach across regions and industries, including agriculture.
