BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 5. Banks and non-bank credit institutions (NBCIs) in Azerbaijan had a combined 35.7 billion manat ($21 billion) in loans outstanding to the real sector as of October 1 this year.
According to calculations by Trend based on data from the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA), this represents an increase of 4.7 billion manat ($2.76 billion), or 15.1%, compared with the same period last year. Loans to the real sector totaled 31 billion manat ($18.24 billion) as of October 1, 2025.
The reporting period also saw an increase in overdue loans. Their total volume reached 754 million manat ($443.5 million), up 226 million manat ($132.9 million), or 42.8%, year on year. For comparison, overdue loans stood at 528 million manat ($310.6 million) as of October 1, 2025. Their share of the overall loan portfolio rose from 1.7% to 2.1%.
A breakdown of lending by economic sector shows that households accounted for the largest share of the overall loan portfolio. Loans to households totalled 21.1 billion manat ($12.41 billion) during the reporting period, an increase of 2.6 billion manat ($1.53 billion), or 14.3%, compared with the same period last year. The figure stood at 18.5 billion manat ($10.88 billion) as of October 1, 2025.
Among other sectors, trade and services ranked second in terms of lending volume. Outstanding loans to this sector reached 4.6 billion manat ($2.71 billion), up 344 million manat ($202.4 million), or 8%, year on year. The corresponding figure for the same period last year was 4.3 billion manat ($2.53 billion).
Construction was another sector to record substantial growth in lending. Outstanding loans to the sector amounted to 2.8 billion manat ($1.65 billion) as of October 1, up 1 billion manat ($588.2 million), or 56.3%, compared with the same period last year. This made construction one of the sectors with the highest annual growth rates.
Loans to the transport and communications sector also increased, reaching 2.8 billion manat ($1.65 billion). This compares with 2.1 billion manat ($1.24 billion) in the corresponding period of 2025, representing an increase of 745 million manat ($438.2 million), or 35.6%.
Total lending to the industrial and manufacturing sector stood at 1.7 billion manat ($1 billion). The figure was also approximately 1.7 billion manat ($1 billion) in the same period last year. The annual increase amounted to just 2.5 million manat ($1.47 million), or 0.1%, indicating that lending to the sector remained virtually unchanged.
Meanwhile, lending declined in mining, electricity, gas, steam and water supply. Loans to these sectors totalled 552 million manat ($324.7 million) during the reporting period, down 158 million manat ($92.9 million), or 22.3%, from 710 million manat ($417.6 million) in the same period last year.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing also recorded a decline in lending. Loans to the sector amounted to 505 million manat ($297.1 million), compared with 563 million manat ($331.2 million) a year earlier, representing a decrease of 58 million manat ($34.1 million), or 10.4%.
Overall, households, trade and services, construction, and transport account for the largest shares of lending across economic sectors. The increase in both the volume of overdue loans and their share of the overall loan portfolio was another notable development during the reporting period.
