The bank shared its credit programs tailored to different entrepreneurial needs.
Amid rising activity of small and medium businesses in Kazakhstan, second-tier banks play a key role in providing entrepreneurs with access to financial resources. One of the participants in the state business support program 'Өрлеу' is Nurbank, which is consistently developing products for SMEs. In an interview with the business information center Kapital.kz, Nurbank's Chairwoman Gulnara Musataeva spoke about the opportunities opened by new lending programs and how the bank supports women entrepreneurs.
- Recently, Nurbank and the Damu Fund signed an agreement to participate in the 'Өрлеу' program. Tell us about this program, what opportunities does it offer for business?
- The 'Өрлеу' state program is aimed at supporting micro, small, and medium-sized businesses. Its key goal is to stimulate entrepreneurship growth in priority economic sectors: manufacturing, agriculture, forestry and fishing, transportation and storage, accommodation and food services, real estate operations, education, and healthcare.
Through the program, entrepreneurs can receive funding for various purposes. Firstly, for investment projects—purchasing, constructing, modernizing, reconstructing, or capital repairing a building. Secondly, for replenishing working capital—purchasing raw materials and supplies, renting, paying utilities, replenishing the wage fund, and so on. Such loans can also be used to refinance existing debts.
In our bank, processing a loan under this state program takes from 5 business days. The time to review a loan application depends on factors such as the completeness of the provided document package, the quality of the credit history, and other parameters. Overall, we strive to make communications as comfortable as possible for entrepreneurs.
– What terms does the 'Өрлеу' program provide?
- This program offers entrepreneurs transparent and attractive financing conditions tailored to the business's specifics and needs.
For investment purposes, a loan can be taken out for up to 10 years, with a maximum amount of up to 7 billion tenge.
For replenishing working capital—up to 3 years, up to 3.5 billion tenge.
For refinancing projects—not exceeding the remaining term of the refinanced debt.
The loan interest rate will not exceed 12.6% per annum (APR—from 13.6%), with a loan organization fee of no more than 0.5% of the loan amount.
Additionally, the 'Өрлеу' program includes socio-economic obligations for businesses. For investment funding, the borrower must maintain and increase jobs over two financial years and ensure income growth of at least 10%. Thus, participation in the program serves as an incentive for development.
- What percentage of the loan amount is covered by the Damu Fund guarantee? What are the advantages of this mechanism?
- To obtain a loan under the 'Өрлеу' program, collateral is required in the form of real estate, land, equipment, vehicles, or special machinery. In case of insufficient collateral, the entrepreneur can apply for a state guarantee that can cover up to 85% of the loan amount, up to 3.5 billion tenge.
- For what purposes do entrepreneurs most often take loans under this program?
- They show the greatest interest in loans for investment purposes—modernizing and expanding production capacities, acquiring equipment, and developing infrastructure. This indicates that businesses today focus not only on maintaining current operations but also on strategic growth.
As of October 1, 2025, our bank has supported businesses with 6.1 billion tenge under the state program 'Өрлеу'.
- Your bank also runs the program for women entrepreneurs 'Business Kanym'. What criteria do you set for borrowers under this program?
- This program is aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs who actively develop their businesses and make a significant contribution to the country's economy.
Various categories of women entrepreneurs can participate:
For limited liability partnerships—with a share of women's participation in the authorized capital of at least 51%.
For joint-stock companies—at least 51% of voting shares belonging to a woman or those that have a woman as the chief executive officer for at least one year. Furthermore, individual entrepreneurs may also participate in the program.
This program provides funding for replenishing working capital, investment purposes, and refinancing existing loans. Its key advantage is a reduced interest rate, making loans more accessible and comfortable. The program also considers the characteristics of women's businesses: flexible terms and a focus on long-term development.
- Is collateral required to participate in 'Business Kanym'?
- Yes, it is mandatory. Collateral can include real estate, equipment, vehicles, or funds. If there is insufficient collateral, the bank may offer the use of the Damu Fund guarantee, significantly enhancing women's access to financing and enabling the implementation of projects that previously seemed unattainable.
Thus, the 'Business Kanym' program combines an individual approach, financial flexibility, and governmental support, creating real opportunities for women entrepreneurs to confidently develop their businesses and realize their ideas.
- Recently, the bank launched the SME DRIVE credit program. What conditions does it provide?
- We developed this program to make SME lending as fast, transparent, and convenient as possible. Its main advantage is a simplified analysis of the entrepreneur's solvency based on tax reporting. This approach significantly reduces the time required to consider applications, making access to finance quicker and more efficient. Competitive terms are offered: market-level rates, up to 7-year terms, and a key feature—a quick access to development funds.
The program provides funding for replenishing working capital, investment purposes, as well as refinancing existing debts.
In practice, entrepreneurs most often use SME DRIVE for replenishing working capital, reflecting real business needs in maintaining current operations. We expect this trend to continue as companies strive to strengthen operational resilience and increase efficiency. An additional incentive is active state support for SMEs, which creates a favorable environment for further growth.
- How much has the volume of SME lending grown in your bank?
- Since the beginning of 2025, the volume of loans issued to SMEs in our bank has increased by 15.3%. Our credit portfolio is quite diversified. A large portion consists of loans to enterprises in the service sector, trade, agriculture, food production, and construction.
JSC 'Nurbank' operates under license No.1.2.15/193 dated February 3, 2020, issued by the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for regulation and development of the financial market. Source: https://kapital.kz/finance/142088/akcent-na-msb-kakie-usloviya-predlagaet-nurbank-dlya-razvitiya-biznesa.html