The National Bank for Foreign Economic Activity of the Republic of Uzbekistan, being the largest bank in the country, is an active participant in ongoing economic reforms. NBU participates in the implementation of large investment and social projects.
In 2021, the NBU carried out large-scale work to increase assets, form and efficiently use a solid resource base, and implement an effective risk management policy of the bank.
Figures and Facts
In 2021, the NBU allocated 11.9 trillion UZS for investment purposes and 10.0 trillion UZS to restore production capacity in the post-COVID period, and to replenish the working capital of economic entities. 5.4 trillion UZS of loans were allocated to support the activities of exporters in 2021. As a result, the foreign exchange received from exporters in 2021 amounted to USD 725.8 million.
In addition, to create conditions for the use of preferences and benefits provided by the state to business entities, in 2021, 931 such entities were provided with guarantees and compensations by the State Fund for Support of Entrepreneurship for 1.6 trillion UZS.
Thus, as of January 1, 2022, the bank’s assets amounted to 89.9 trillion UZS (an increase of 10.0 trillion UZS, compared to the previous year), the loan portfolio amounted to 74.0 trillion UZS (an increase of 8.4 trillion UZS), the net profit plan was fulfilled by 103 percent.
Implemented Projects
From the first days of independence, the NBU has become a reliable support for the government in transforming the national economy, creating a favorable business and investment climate. Financing investment projects of strategic importance for the country’s economy has always been one of the priorities of the NBU.
Most of these initiatives have been implemented in such sectors of the economy as the fuel and energy complex, the textile industry, transport and communications, the development of communal services and others.
In 2021, the Bank provided loans to finance more than 50 large investment projects and provide financial support to strategically important enterprises for $1.2 billion. In particular:
construction – $305 million;
energy industry – $295 million;
transport, communications – $293 million;
utilities – $75 million;
textile industry – $62 million;
Due to the loans allocated by the NBU, in 2021, 19 large investment projects were commissioned and over 6,500 jobs were created. They include projects such as:
– purchase of a new Boeing-787-8 aircraft for the needs of JSC Uzbekistan Airways;
– construction of a plant for the production of dry cement, with a capacity of up to 3 million tons per year, at JSC Akhangarancement (114 jobs were created);
– construction of an agrological and trade complex Food City Tashkent, which includes a market with an area of 17.5 thousand square meters and cross-docking for 16.3 thousand square meters;
– organization of production of washing machines up to 1.1 million units and commercial refrigerators – 75 thousand units per year at LLC Technopark.
Another large project financed by the bank is LLC Aroma-Kolor. The enterprise with a total value of 20.9 billion UZS specializes in the production of meat products and sausages.
Services
The NBU is implementing projects aimed at improving the service sector in the regions under the resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On measures for the accelerated development of the service sector” of May 11, 2021. For this, 1,575.0 billion UZS of the Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan were attracted.
The funds raised, based on the economic and social potential of the regions and the needs of the population, are directed to the service sector, which includes healthcare, trade and consumer services, tourism and hotel business, education, transport, construction and reconstruction, IT communications, public catering and others. 1,824 promising projects were financed due to the provision of soft loans.
One of such large investment projects in the development of services, financed by the bank, is the facility “Organization of the shopping and entertainment complex DEPO MALL", with a total value of $40.0 million.
Three directions for the development of the service sector have been identified for 2022:
The first is the development of the service sector in rural areas, tourism – in existing historical sites and mountainous areas, modern agricultural services, in areas with high crop yields in agriculture.
The second is the development of modern market services in medium and large cities and regions with a population of over 300 thousand people.
The third is the development of highly profitable services in Tashkent, Samarkand and Namangan, as well as other types of services in the regions where educational and medical institutions are located, the development of modern shopping and entertainment facilities.
In these areas, instruction was given to increase the volume of trade and services by 1.5 times in 2022.
Retail Business
The NBU occupies a leading position in the financial services market for the development of retail business. In 2021, the bank completed its tasks in this direction. The NBU offers the population more than ten types of attractive deposits. As a result, the volume of deposits, as of January 1, 2022, amounted to 8.5 trillion UZS.
The Bank, to meet the necessary needs of the population, offers the following types of products: consumer lending, car loans, microloans, overdrafts and educational loans.
Mini-banks have been created to provide customers with convenient banking services in densely populated areas, where all types of retail loans are issued. Individuals have the opportunity to monitor the status of credit debt, the schedule of regular payments, to pay principal and interest payments online, without visiting the bank, through the Milliy mobile application.
The process of granting loans to individuals and paperwork has also been simplified. As a result, since the beginning of 2021, 10,273 consumer loans, 5,814 car loans, 4,907 educational loans, 14,700 overdrafts and microloans have been allocated. In total, over 44 thousand individuals were issued retail loans worth over 1,014.6 billion UZS.
The NBU is actively participating in the mortgage lending expansion program. In 2021, 1 450.0 billion UZS were provided for the purchase of housing.
Development Strategy
Summing up the results of 2021, it should be noted that the further development of the Bank will be based on its strategy. The adoption of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On the strategy of reforming the banking system of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2020-2025”, of May 12, 2020, gave a positive impetus to the development of the banking system of Uzbekistan, the implementation of transformation processes, including the experience of foreign banks and international trends in the financial sphere.
To transform the NBU into a modern commercial bank operating under international standards, and to develop a long-term strategy for its development, an agreement was signed with the international consulting company McKinsey & Company, and a project to develop a development strategy for the NBU was implemented in two stages.
At the first stage, the analysis of the banking services market and the prospects for its development, global trends, the retail services market, customer segmentation, the banking risk management process, the bank’s information technology system was carried out. At the second stage, the strategic goals of the bank were formed.
Based on the analytical data obtained, together with the international consulting company McKinsey & Company, a long-term Strategy for the Development and Transformation of the NBU until 2025 has been developed, which includes 32 initiatives and 77 projects. A Transformation Office has been established in the Bank for its implementation.
As a result of the successful implementation of the strategy, it is planned to increase the bank’s loan portfolio to 170.0 trillion UZS, net profit to 3.8 trillion UZS.
Plans for 2022
For 2022, the NBU sets important goals for itself. It is planned to increase the Bank’s assets to 95.6 trillion UZS, the loan portfolio to 82.0 trillion UZS.
In 2022, the NBU, to implement a policy of active lending to the leading sectors of the economy, plans to send credit funds for 1,596 projects worth 22.6 trillion UZS. Of these, 12.5 trillion UZS – to finance investment projects, in particular:
– Improving public transport in the city of Tashkent by purchasing passenger buses;
– Financing leasing supplies to replenish the aircraft fleet of JSC Uzbekistan Airways.
It is planned to commission 81 multi-apartment residential buildings for 7097 apartments to improve the living conditions of the population.
The implementation of these projects will create over 35,900 jobs.
According to NBU, as a result of the successful implementation of the planned projects, the export volume will reach $755.0 million, the volume of import-substituting products – $785.0 million. Expected revenues to the state budget will amount to over 3.1 trillion UZS.
UzA