Ukrainian banks boost long-term lending as investment financing gains momentum
Ukrainian banks are expanding long-term lending to businesses at an accelerating pace, providing fresh support for investment projects despite the challenges posed by the country's ongoing war with Russia, reported Ukraine Business News.
According to the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), lending for business investment projects has grown significantly over the past year, with loans carrying maturities of more than three years rising by 45.3% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026.
The increase highlights growing demand for financing aimed at expanding production capacity, modernising operations and supporting long-term development projects across a range of sectors.
The NBU said banks have been broadening investment lending since last year, with long-term loans recording the fastest growth among all categories of corporate credit. By comparison, short-term loans with maturities of up to one year increased by 32.9% in the first quarter, while medium-term loans with maturities of one to three years rose by 17.9%.
As of May 1, the largest recipients of commercial bank financing were companies operating in wholesale and retail trade, agriculture, the food industry and the energy sector.
The central bank noted that the structure of lending closely mirrors the composition of Ukraine's economy. Trade and agriculture together account for roughly one-fifth of gross domestic product and continue to attract the largest share of bank credit.
The growth in investment lending comes as Ukrainian authorities seek to encourage economic recovery and private-sector development despite wartime disruptions, labour shortages and continuing security risks. International financial support has helped stabilise the banking system, while domestic lenders have gradually increased their willingness to finance longer-term projects.
Agriculture remains one of the country's key economic drivers and a major source of export revenue, while investment in energy infrastructure has become increasingly important following repeated Russian attacks on Ukraine's power system.
