BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 18. The share of funds attracted by the banking sector that is channeled into lending in Azerbaijan has risen from 62% to about 70% over the past 3 years, Deputy CEO of PASHA Bank's Executive Board, Bahruz Naghiyev, said at a press conference on the bank’s first-half 2026 results, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
Naghiyev noted that one of the banking sector's primary functions is to channel the funds it mobilizes into financing the economy.
"A crucial point here is whether or not we, as the banking sector, are directing the funds we mobilize toward lending. If we do so, we can speak of increased economic activity," he pointed out.
According to him, positive trends have been observed in this regard in recent years.
"If we look at a three-year comparison, previously about 62% of the funds we mobilized went toward lending. Today, that figure is around 70%," Naghiyev explained.
The bank official also said that this figure can be further raised.
"These figures should increase further. We need to be more active and strive to ensure greater levels of financing," he emphasized.
Naghiyev noted that the expansion of economic financing does not depend solely on the banking sector's activities. According to him, reforms implemented across various sectors of the economy also influence the outcomes of financing.
"This doesn't depend solely on the banking sector. Reforms must continue across every sector of the economy for this financing to yield results," the deputy CEO clarified.
He also noted that lending is a key indicator for assessing economic activity.
"If we are discussing economic activity, we must look at the lending figures. These are key indicators," Naghiyev added.
PASHA Bank’s total assets amounted to 9.98 billion manat ($5.87 billion), its loan portfolio to 4.08 billion manat ($2.4 billion), its deposit portfolio to 7.75 billion manat ($4.56 billion), and its capital to 1.01 billion manat ($594.1 million) in the first half of this year.
