NDB Bank partners World Bank credit line for SMEs

The NDB Bank is a pioneer in lending to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and has supported over 45,000 ventures employing more than 650,000 people across the country.

The Bank partners the World Bank-funded Small and Medium Enterprise Development Facility Project (SMEDeF) to empower the growing needs of this sector in Sri Lanka.

The Bank is one of the eight Participating Credit Institutions (PCIs) for the SMEDeF.

Any private enterprise operating in Sri Lanka that fulfils the SME criteria is eligible to obtain the facility.

Through SMEDeF, SMEs with an annual turnover of less than Rs. 300 million operating in a large number of sectors are eligible to apply under concessionary interest rates. The maximum amount of refinancing for any sub-project is Rs. 60 million, with a repayment period of three years for permanent working capital loans and repayment period of upto 10 years for investment loans including a maximum grace period of two years.

SMEs account for 97percent of all industries in Sri Lanka. A critical element for SME survival and growth is the access to finance. SMEs face numerous challenges when setting up their ventures due to the limited knowledge and skills in financial management and other operational matters.

They are also faced with a challenging financial environment and the increasing complexity and extent of financial reporting.

The NDB Bank has taken steps to assist these SMEs in not just their borrowing needs but also by providing them with educative sessions.