A stately 19th century building in the heart of Tashkent is home to Uzpromstroybank, one of the oldest financial institutions in the country. Despite its deep history, the venerable bank is embracing change as Uzbekistan pursues privatization to strengthen its domestic banking sector.
State-owned banks in the country account for about 83 percent of the sector’s assets, one of the highest levels in the world. Further, households and businesses have limited access to finance, leading to an estimated financing gap of over $10.2 billion for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which account for 80 percent of businesses and 78 percent of jobs in the country.
Against this backdrop, Uzbekistan’s reform roadmap—started in 2016—to privatize state banks is an effective response to spur private investment for sustainable development of the national economy. Over the next five years, the government plans to fully privatize six banks.
As part of this plan, Uzpromstroybank, with support of IFC, is undergoing an extensive transformation to commercialize its operations, become a green bank with a strong governance framework, and eventually privatize. Furthermore, the first in Central Asia to pursue a green finance strategy, the bank’s approach is timely, given that this is an opportunity for the country to accelerate recovery from the pandemic.
“IFC is helping us become the first bank in the region with green-financing capabilities. With COVID-19 radically changing our country’s business landscape, we need to reinvent ourselves and embrace transformation to drive growth. IFC has been extensively supporting us in this movement, both as an adviser and an investor, which helped us form a clear sense of the path ahead and execute long-term transformation and growth strategies,” said Sahi Annaklichev, Uzpromstroybank’s CEO.
An effective corporate governance system, clear goals and objectives, and a client-oriented business model including automated business processes to significantly reduce costs and operational risks will allow the bank to improve its growth prospects. Further, IFC’s local currency loan of up to $75 million will help to facilitate the bank’s privatization in a timely manner, while enabling it to scale up lending to SMEs and climate finance projects.
Photo: Courtesy of Uzpromstroybank
With rapid urbanization, industrialization, population growth, and increase of household incomes, Uzbekistan will need more power, especially once the economy recovers from the impact of COVID-19. Consequently, the country plans substantial investment in the energy sector. Green lending practices will further enable Uzpromstroybank to support the growing energy and chemical sectors by providing appropriate products and services for companies that are implementing energy efficient and innovative technologies.
While IFC’s engagement with the bank started in July 2019, IFC is just beginning the second phase to implement the business model that was developed with international experts. The first phase involved establishing the fundamentals of the proper commercial banking business. This included structural changes, policies, procedures, and finding the right people for specific roles and responsibilities.
IFC has an established global reputation in providing advisory services in addition to core financing to help partners improve their performance, transform their operations, and prepare for privatization. In parallel, IFC offers demonstrated experience in promoting reforms that foster a conducive business environment for private investment.
In Uzbekistan, IFC’s approach is holistic, aimed at addressing legislative and regulatory impediments, lack of financial infrastructure—credit bureaus, collateral registries, e-money regulation—to better manage financial sector risks, corporate governance, transformation leadership, and other interventions. IFC’s bank transformation program is fundamental to a more efficient, inclusive, and transparent banking sector that will provide a wide range of lending services and much-needed finance to businesses and households in the country.
The transformation of Uzpromstroybank will help position the bank as an exemplary universal bank, attracting foreign investment to the country. The bank’s success will also have a catalytic effect on other banks to increase finance for energy efficiency and other sustainable practices in Uzbekistan.
“As we look to build a more resilient post-pandemic global economy, it’s clear that it must also be a more sustainable one. The financial sector has great potential than any other part of the economy to bring about a greener future. It’s encouraging that Uzpromstroybank will support industries and businesses to develop clean green innovations and other technology, ensuring we build back greener,” said Vittorio Di Bello, IFC’s Regional Head of Industry for Financial Institutions in Europe and Central Asia.
Last year, IFC signed a landmark agreement with Ipoteka-bank to provide a loan of up to $35 million equivalent in Uzbek soum to expand SME lending in the country. This loan built on the transformative work that Ipoteka-bank has been doing over the past three years to commercialize the bank’s operations and improve its long-term viability. IFC’s advisory intervention resulted in tectonic shifts at Ipoteka-bank, with the bank’s pre-privatization process serving as a best-practice model for other state-owned banks slated for privatization.
These projects are a starting point to strengthen the country’s banking sector and help Uzbekistan embrace future economic development with resilience and confidence.
Published in September 2021