NBE, Banque Misr and CIB lead First Bank’s credit competitiveness index in H1 2026

NBE cements its lead on First Bank credit competitiveness index, adding EGP 713.09bn in customer loans in H1 2026

The top three banks captured 73.8 per cent of the net increase in customer loan portfolios across the 27 banks covered by the ranking

Total customer loans at the 27 banks operating in Egypt’s banking sector reached EGP 10.87tn, up EGP 1.24tn

Islamic banks claim two of the top ten spots, out of four covered by the ranking

The National Bank of Egypt (NBE) topped First Bank’s credit competitiveness index for H1 2026, leading the ranking of banks operating in Egypt by credit performance.

The bank posted the largest increase in its customer loan portfolio, finishing well ahead of its nearest rival.

NBE grew its customer loan portfolio by about EGP 713.09bn over the first six months of the year, from EGP 4.83tn at end-2025.

The result underscores NBE’s command of the index and its capacity for substantial credit expansion in absolute terms relative to the other banks in the ranking.

The scale of NBE’s lead is evident in the fact that its increase was more than six times that of Banque Misr, which ranked second, a gap of roughly EGP 598.38bn between the two banks in H1 2026.

Banque Misr took second place after adding about EGP 114.71bn to its customer loan portfolio in H1 2026, lifting it to EGP 1.67tn at end-June 2026, from EGP 1.55tn at end-2025.

CIB came third, with its customer loan portfolio rising by EGP 89.94bn in H1 2026 to EGP 631.34bn at end-June, compared with EGP 541.41bn at end-2025.

First Bank's credit competitiveness index tracked the movement in customer loan portfolios at 27 banks operating in Egypt’s banking sector. The data shows that 26 banks expanded their loan portfolios in H1 2026, while one recorded a decline.

The index gauges how effectively banks operating in Egypt grow their credit activity by increasing the balance of loans extended to customers, whether in the retail or corporate segments.

Banks are ranked by the absolute value of the increase in total customer loans over the period under review, rather than by percentage growth rates.

The results show that the 27 banks recorded a combined net increase in customer loan portfolios of about EGP 1.24tn in H1 2026, after accounting for both the increases and declines posted by the banks included.

NBE, Banque Misr and CIB together accounted for about EGP 917.75bn of the combined net increase, equivalent to 73.8 per cent.

This points to a high degree of concentration in credit expansion among the largest banks in absolute terms.

NBE alone accounted for about 57.3 per cent of the combined net increase across the ranked banks, highlighting its contribution to the credit expansion recorded over the period, while the remainder was spread across the other banks covered by the index.

Among Islamic banks, two secured places in the top ten on First Bank's credit competitiveness index in H1 2026, out of four Islamic banks covered by the ranking.

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank – Egypt (ADIB) ranked sixth, with an increase of about EGP 43.36bn in its customer loan portfolio, while Kuwait Finance House – Egypt (KFH-Egypt) placed tenth, with an increase of EGP 15.53bn over the same period.

All figures and growth rates cited in this analysis are based on each bank’s published standalone financial statements as at end-June 2026.

Rank	Bank	Customer Loans, End of June 2026 (EGP billion)	Customer Loans, End of 2025 (EGP billion)	Increase (EGP billion)
1	National Bank of Egypt (NBE)	5,544.86	4,831.76	713.09
2	Banque Misr	1,666.34	1,551.63	114.71
3	Commercial International Bank (CIB)	631.34	541.41	89.94
4	QNB (Qatar National Bank)	518.91	464.84	54.07
5	Arab African International Bank (AAIB)	287.50	240.67	46.82
6	Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB)	198.23	154.87	43.36
7	National Bank of Kuwait (NBK)	148.52	122.60	25.92
8	Emirates NBD Egypt	114.01	95.57	18.43
9	Housing & Development Bank (HDB)	81.44	65.72	15.72
10	Kuwait Finance House (KFH) Egypt	120.31	104.78	15.53
11	Banque du Caire	253.12	239.30	13.82
12	Suez Canal Bank	140.74	127.04	13.70
13	Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB)	82.69	69.80	12.89
14	The United Bank	49.63	38.28	11.35
15	Attijariwafa bank Egypt	80.49	69.32	11.17
16	Export Development Bank of Egypt (EBank)	97.33	86.75	10.58
17	Bank NXT	61.46	51.33	10.13
18	AlexBank	92.69	83.73	8.97
19	saib	87.30	79.19	8.11
20	Al Baraka Bank Egypt	83.13	75.90	7.23
21	EGBANK	69.51	63.50	6.01
22	Credit Agricole Egypt	72.43	66.99	5.43
23	Bank ABC	43.98	39.26	4.72
24	HSBC	61.95	59.34	2.62
25	Faisal Islamic Bank	22.02	19.88	2.14
26	Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK)	88.58	87.55	1.03
27	First Abu Dhabi Bank Misr (FABMISR)	167.10	190.93	(23.83)