Uzbek Banks to Inject $11.6 Bn into SME Sector in 2026
Commercial banks across Uzbekistan are set to allocate 140 trln soums ($11.6 bn) to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) throughout 2026. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced the major financial commitment during a recent government session dedicated to regional economic development.
Bridging the efficiency gap
During the meeting the head of state highlighted a stark contrast in how effectively commercial loans are being utilised across different parts of the country. Recent data indicates that job creation metrics vary wildly depending on local project management and strategic selection.
For every 1 bn soums ($83,195) issued to small businesses, the following number of jobs were successfully generated in high-performing regions:
- Shirin: 20 jobs
- Uchkuduk: 17 jobs
- Khanabad and Sokh: 14 jobs
- Tomdi: 13 jobs
Conversely, the exact same financial investment yielded a mere three new jobs in the districts of Uchkuprik, Pskent, Bostanlyk, Karmana and Kurgantepa.
Government officials noted that with more accurate project targeting the state could have easily generated up to 36,000 additional jobs. Better financial management would have also successfully formalised the incomes of approximately 60,000 individuals by pulling them out of the shadow economy.
AI integration and economic vigilance
To modernise the financial sector and improve the overall success rate of business loans, Mirziyoyev has instructed officials to roll out a specialised «Artificial Intelligence Advisor» platform across the national banking network. This digital initiative aims to provide smarter guidance for both banks and entrepreneurs.
Concluding his address the President issued a stern warning against economic complacency. He stressed that leadership can no longer rely on the expectation of a quiet year or simply coast on the back of positive first-quarter metrics. Given the current climate of global instability, he demanded that state officials actively revise and adapt their working approaches to safeguard the domestic economy.
