Last week, entrepreneurs received 754 soft loans totalling UAH 2.3 billion from authorised banks under the Affordable Loans at 5-7-9% state program, including 631 loans from public sector banks totalling UAH 1.6 billion.

Since the beginning of 2024, entrepreneurs have received 7,713 loans totalling UAH 29.6 billion under the programme, including 5,722 loans worth UAH 15.4 billion from public sector banks.

During the period of martial law in Ukraine, 51,855 loans worth UAH 206.9 billion were issued (including 38,756 loans worth UAH 105.8 billion by public sector banks), of which as of 22 April this year:

- UAH 17.11 billion for investment purposes;
- UAH 58.55 billion - for working capital financing;
- UAH 37.24 billion - loans for agricultural producers;
- UAH 13.16 billion - for the processing of agricultural products;
- UAH 57.41 billion - for anti-war purposes;
- UAH 10.02 billion for lending in the high military risk zone.

A total of 86,677 loan agreements worth UAH 296.5 billion have been signed since the start of the programme, including 59,232 agreements worth UAH 132.5 billion by public sector banks.

The Programme is implemented by the Entrepreneurship Development Fund (EDF), whose sole participant is the Government of Ukraine, represented by the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, which coordinates all aspects of the Fund's activities.

To date, under the Government’s Affordable Loans at 5-7-9% programme the EDF has concluded cooperation agreements with 45 banks. The state continues to make all necessary compensation payments to businesses under the loan agreements concluded within this programme.

On 27 December last year, in order to expand the opportunities for entrepreneurs to receive state support, the Government amended the Procedures regulating the provision of financial state support under the 5-7-9% programme at the initiative of the Ministry of Finance. First of all, the restrictions on receiving state support for certain categories of enterprises affected by the hostilities have been lifted. In addition, as part of the agreements with the IMF, the amendments provide for the focus of the 5-7-9% programme exclusively on micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

To streamline the Government’s Affordable Loans at 5-7-9% and Affordable Financial Leasing at 5-7-9% programmes under martial law, the Government adopted Resolution No. 229 “On amendments to certain resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on providing financial state support to business entities” dated 14 March 2023.

Also, at the end of last year, the Affordable Factoring programme was launched, a new financial instrument under the Affordable Loans at 5-7-9% programme to provide micro, small and medium-sized enterprises with working capital.