SME lending expands in Azerbaijan as banks and state programs fuel non-oil growth

As of December 1, 2025, the volume of loans extended to medium-sized businesses in Azerbaijan reached 2.279 billion manat, marking a modest monthly increase of 0.6% (13.1 million manat) compared to November 1, 2025, and a substantial year-on-year growth of 24.6% (449.4 million manat). For comparison, the volume of loans to medium-sized businesses stood at 2.266 billion manat as of November 1, 2025, and 1.830 billion manat in December 2024.