The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting Egypt’s privatisation programme and capital market development by making a US$ 100 million equity investment in the initial public offering (IPO) of Banque du Caire (BdC), one of Egypt’s largest commercial banks.

The investment is being made jointly with the International Finance Corporation, which is also investing US$ 100 million in the offering, bringing the total investment by both multilateral development banks to US$ 200 million.

The IPO, in which 45 per cent of BdC’s common shares are being listed on the Egyptian Exchange (EGX), marks a significant milestone in Egypt’s state ownership and privatisation programme and is expected to deepen local capital markets and increase private-sector equity participation in the Egyptian banking sector.

Through its participation, the EBRD will support BdC’s transition to listed-company standards, helping strengthen corporate governance, climate, environmental and social-related practices, digitalisation and cybersecurity.

In addition to the equity investment, the EBRD will provide technical cooperation to support and enhance BdC’s digital transformation, cybersecurity, and environmental and social risk-management capabilities.

Francis Malige, EBRD Managing Director for Financial Institutions, said: “Banque du Caire’s IPO is a resounding success. The EBRD is proud to take part in this significant step, which is not only a landmark transaction for Banque du Caire but also a strategic milestone for the broader national privatisation programme. The EBRD invests as a long-term institutional investor, helping to achieve broad private ownership, attract institutional capital and reinforce confidence in Egypt's structural reform agenda. We look forward to deepening our partnership with Banque du Caire and supporting the bank’s next development phase as a publicly listed bank.”

Hussein Abaza, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Banque du Caire, said: “The successful completion of Banque du Caire’s IPO is a defining milestone in the bank’s history and a new chapter in its continued evolution. It reflects the strength of our banking franchise, the resilience of our business model and the confidence of investors in the bank’s strategic direction and long-term prospects. We value the EBRD’s participation as a long-term institutional investor and look forward to further strengthening our partnership in support of the bank’s next phase of development.”

As of 30 June 2026, BdC was Egypt’s fourth-largest bank by total assets, excluding other state-owned banks Banque Misr and National Bank of Egypt. BdC provides corporate, small and medium-sized enterprise (SME), retail, microfinance, private banking, investment banking and brokerage services.

The EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Egypt. Since beginning operations in Egypt in 2012, the Bank has invested more than €16 billion in 238 projects across the country.