First Indicator: QNB Egypt reshapes retail loans as real estate gains ground

Translated & Edited by Aya Elsayed

QNB Egypt’s financial statements show a relative shift in the composition of its retail loan portfolio over the past five years, with changes in the weight of its individual components pointing to greater portfolio diversification compared with end-2021.

Real estate loans recorded the fastest growth among the portfolio components, rising by around 378.6 per cent over the past five years to EGP 13.62 billion at end-June 2026, from EGP 2.85 billion at end-2021. Their share of the retail loan portfolio consequently increased to 14.81 per cent from 7.84 per cent.

This growth increased the importance of real estate lending within the portfolio, making it the second-largest component after personal loans, supported by the bank’s expansion in the segment and participation in several mortgage finance initiatives.

Credit cards also recorded strong growth during the period under review, with balances rising by around 182.2 per cent to EGP 3.71 billion at end-June 2026, from EGP 1.31 billion at end-2021. Their share of the total portfolio edged up to 4.03 per cent from 3.62 per cent.

Personal loans, meanwhile, retained their position as the largest component of the retail loan portfolio, despite their share declining to 77.42 per cent at end-June 2026 from 79.96 per cent at end-2021. Balances grew by around 145.4 per cent to EGP 71.22 billion, from EGP 29.03 billion.

Personal loans also remained the main driver of growth in the retail loan portfolio, increasing by EGP 42.20 billion over the past five years and accounting for around 76 per cent of the total increase in retail loans. The overall portfolio expanded by around EGP 55.70 billion to EGP 92 billion, from EGP 36.30 billion, representing growth of 153.4 per cent.

Overdraft balances recorded the largest decline in relative weight among the portfolio components, with their share falling to 3.75 per cent at end-June 2026 from 8.59 per cent at end-2021, making them the smallest component of the portfolio by share.

Despite this, overdraft balances increased by around 10.7 per cent during the period under review to EGP 3.45 billion at end-June 2026, from EGP 3.12 billion at end-2021, representing an increase of around EGP 334 million.

These shifts point to a clear reshaping of QNB Egypt’s retail loan portfolio over the past five years. Personal loans remained the dominant component, while real estate loans gained significant weight on the back of the fastest growth among portfolio segments. Credit cards also increased their share, while overdrafts declined markedly as a proportion of the portfolio.