The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing Bank Lviv with a financing package consisting of a EUR7.5m guarantee to cover the risks of new lending of up to EUR30m and a hryvnia loan equivalent of up to EUR15m of private micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) financing.
“The loan is divided into two tranches – EUR10m committed and EUR5m non-dedicated, each maturing in three years – will help Bank Lviv maintain a sustainable and diversified funding base to ensure continued access to medium-term financing for businesses,” the bank said in a statement on Thursday.
It is indicated that the cost of financing the loan will be reduced by subsidizing the interest rate in local currency within the framework of the European Union’s EU4Business initiative in Ukraine.
According to the release, an unsecured risk-sharing instrument worth EUR7.5m will also be provided in two equal tranches, each of which will cover 50% of the credit risk of new loans of Bank Lviv totaling up to EUR30m, but not more than 50% of the portfolio. The facility will help Bank Lviv provide access to finance for Ukrainian companies operating in critical sectors such as primary agriculture and agricultural services, food processing, transportation and logistics, retail and pharmaceuticals, the EBRD said.
It added that up to a further EUR4.5m of this total portfolio of EUR30m will support long-term investments by private MSMEs in EU-compliant clean technologies. Eligible sub-borrowers will also receive EU-funded technical assistance and investment incentives upon completion of their investment projects.
The EBRD recalls that the project is made possible by a 50% first loss risk coverage by donors.
As reported, the relevant project was approved by the board of directors of the international bank on July 18, and the necessary documents were signed on Thursday.
The EBRD recalls that Bank Lviv, owned by European shareholders, is a regional SME-oriented bank and one of the fastest growing in western Ukraine: its loan portfolio grew from $35 million in 2017 to $133 million in the first quarter of 2023. Its head office is located in Lviv, and its network includes 19 branches, 13 of them in Lviv region and six in other cities.
According to the National Bank of Ukraine, as of the beginning of June 2023, Bank Lviv ranked 27th (UAH 8.25 bln) among 65 banks operating in the country in terms of assets.
According to the information on the website of Bank Lviv, its shareholders at the beginning of this year were: ResponsAbility Participations (Switzerland) – 48.557189%, Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) – 13.93623% and Icelandic citizen Margeir Peturson – 37.4692%.
