British International Investment

Mashreqbank MRPA

Central AfricaEast AfricaSouth AsiaWest AfricaFinancial services

Mashreq Bank, established in 1967, one of the leading financial institution in the UAE and a significant player in the GCC with experience operating in both the gulf and international markets. Mashreq has over 16 overseas offices in 13 countries, with corporate banking businesses in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and India, as well as corporate and retail banking in Egypt and foreign exchange businesses in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal.The bank offers services that range from personal banking, investment banking, asset management and insurance services. Additionally, Mashreq provides conventional and Islamic personal and investment banking and asset management services.Further, Mashreq has extensive experience operating in trade finance alongside its robust trade portfolio in emerging markets. More specifically, the bank’s existing trade portfolio in Africa covers larger countries such as Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana and the bank has been expanding its footprint into smaller countries such as Tanzania, Togo, Cote D’Ivoe, Senegal and Cameroon.

Our investment

Description of the investment.

Our partnership with Mashreq strengthens the bank's capacity to provide trade finance to clients in Africa and South Asia. This will help address the growing trade finance gap in the countries where we invest, which is driven by rising inflation and decreasing investor interest outside of traditional banking.

Impact information

Applies to investments made from 2019 onwards. The tabs in this section define what we expect to achieve through the investment, assessing the potential impact of the investment against six dimensions of impact. You can find more details on our methodology of assessing impact here.

What?

Impact
  • Sustained or improved economic opportunities for businesses (SDG 8.1, 8.5, 8.10).
  • Continued or increased availability to a broad range of goods and services (SDG 1.4).

How?

How?
  • Economic enabler: Our investment will allow Mashreq to provide trade finance support for local banks and businesses, facilitating the import of key capital and consumption goods in countries that typically have difficulty accessing this finance.

Who?

Stakeholder Geography Characteristics
Owners & Employees

Tanzania 30 per cent, Togo 15 per cent, Cameroon 5 per cent, Cote d'Ivoire 5 per cent, Senegal 5 per cent, Bangladesh 20 per cent, Pakistan 20 per cent.

Given country profiles we can assume mass market characteristics across the target countries.

Customers

How much?

Scale Depth/Duration

We estimate trade enabled by the facility as a proxy, which is estimated to be $232 million.

The duration of the impact of the trades themselves on consumers and firms will depend on the underlying goods. Depth is difficult to assess but impact is expected to be deeper in smaller countries and those where trade finance conditions have significantly worsened.

Contribution/additionality

Contribution/additionality

Financial additionality: Commercial funding is not offered in sufficient quantity for the markets covered under this trade facility.

Risk

Execution Risk

Mashreq will need to build reliable trade flows across the smaller African markets. Mitigant: Mashreq has demonstrated its ability to originate trade flows in these markets – ability to scale is the key risk.

Drop-Off Risk

There is no guarantee Mashreq will continue to support these markets, particularly in smaller countries, after the facility expires.

Alignment Risk

Support of misaligned underlying products will limit the ability of the facility to deliver the stated impact outcomes. Mitigant: Monitoring of use and underlying trades, with adjustment of country limits if necessary.

Impact score

Impact score (at point of investment)

The Impact Score is a tool to help us manage our performance against our strategic impact objectives. It is designed to incentivise investments that support our productive, sustainable, and inclusive objectives. The Impact Score shown is based on the 2022-2026 Impact Score methodology. You can find out more here.

The Impact Score is published for investments made from 2022 onwards. The Impact Scores are calculated at the point of investment. We publish the Impact Scores of new investments annually, once the information has been externally assured by an independent third party.

5

Environmental and social information

  • Environmental and social summary

    A high-level description of the environmental and social aspects of the investment. This may include a summary of key environmental and social risks identified during environmental and social due diligence (ESDD); key elements of an environmental and social action plan (ESAP); or ways in which we plan to support the investee improve environmental and social standards, such as through their environmental and social management system (ESMS); as well as any other priority areas agreed with the investee.

  • Environmental and social risk

    A risk category rating, which indicates the level of environmental and social risk associated with an investment. For an explanation of the categorisations used, see here. We consistently provide an environmental and social risk category for all investments screened from 2023 onwards.

Environmental and social summary

BII and Mashreq agreed on an ESAP aimed at improving the Bank's E&S screening procedures for trade transactions and updating its Safeguarding Policy to align with BII's requirements. Mashreq is also required to update its HR Policies in accordance with IFC Performance Standard 2 on Labour and Working Conditions.

Environmental and social risk

Medium-Low

Reporting and Complaints Mechanism

The Reporting and Complaints Mechanism allows anyone outside BII to report alleged breaches of the business integrity or environmental and social provisions of BII’s Policy on Responsible Investing. This includes breaches made by BII, a BII investee, or a portfolio company of a fund in which BII has invested. The Reporting and Complaints Mechanism Rules are available here. Reports and complaints can be submitted by email to [email protected] or by mail. See more details on our Reporting and Complaints Mechanism here.

For any other general enquiries contact us at [email protected]

  • Key facts

    First published

    When the investment was first published on the website database.

    :
    March 2025
    Last updated

    When the last quarterly update of the website database occurred.

    :
    June 2026
    Project number

    An identifier number shared by investments in the same project.

    :
    D6084
    Status

    The current status of the investment (green flag for active and red flag for exited).

    :
    Active
    Region

    The geographical region where the country is located. We currently invest in Africa, South Asia, South East Asia and the Caribbean. In 2023, BII’s investment mandate was extended allowing it to invest in regional funds linked to Ukraine, with the majority of activity expected to begin post-war. Investments outside these regions were made prior to 2012 under previous investment mandates.

    :
    Central Africa, East Africa, South Asia, West Africa
    Country

    The countries where the investment delivers impact. Where impact is delivered in multiple countries, this is indicated.

    :
    Angola, Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria
    Sector

    We prioritise those sectors that facilitate development and need our capital the most. Our priority sectors contribute towards many of the Sustainable Development Goals. They range from investing in the power infrastructure that will provide people with better access to electricity, to investing in financial institutions that direct capital to the individuals and businesses that need it the most.

    :
    Financial services
    Sub sector

    The sub-sector that the investment is made into; this provides a more granular level of detail than the ‘sector’ information

    :
    Banks

    We provide capital in the following ways: directly – through direct equity, direct debt, guarantees and other non-intermediated financial instruments; and indirectly – principally through investment funds.

    Type of investment portfolio that each investment is made under. Since 2014, we have run two investment portfolios: Catalyst and Growth. In addition, our Kinetic Portfolio enables us to manage concessional investment strategies.

    For direct investments and fund investments, this is the date BII committed capital to the investments. This is typically the date on which legal agreements are signed by all parties.

    For the portfolio companies of our fund investments, this is the date (either the month or the quarter) on which the fund committed capital to the portfolio company.

    For direct equity investments, this is the date at which British International Investment exited the investment.

    For debt investments, this is the date at which the final debt repayment was made.

    For funds, this is the date at which the fund was terminated.

    For underlying fund investments, this is the date at which the fund manager exited the investment.

    The total amount committed, per financial instrument, per investment, on the date BII becomes subject to a binding legal obligation to provide funding or assume a contingent liability. This information is provided in US dollars.

    For direct investments, this is the amount that BII has committed to the business or project. For fund investments, this is the amount BII has committed to the fund.

    The currency in which the investment was made.

    Investment policy :
    Growth
    Investment type :
    Guarantee
    Start date :
    October 2024
    Amount :
    $50m
    Currency of investment :
    USD
    Domicile

    The company or investment fund’s place of incorporation.

    :
    United Arab Emirates

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