The Bank of Albania published remarks by Second Deputy Governor Natasha Ahmetaj from the 28th Annual Conference of the Microfinance Centre, where she highlighted that the central bank has taken regulatory and supervisory measures in recent years to strengthen transparency, consumer protection and credit quality in Albania's non-bank and microfinance sector. In the speech, she also framed microfinance as a key channel for financial inclusion and support for small enterprises, especially borrowers with limited access to traditional banking services. The measures cited include regulatory changes aimed at improving risk management and transparency toward clients. Set against the conference theme of whether microfinance's mission is at risk during financial and technological transition, Ahmetaj said the sector's core role should remain the provision of affordable and responsible finance to underserved groups, and that reputation and public trust are essential to the industry's sustainability.
Bank of Albania2026-05-19
Bank of Albania highlights regulatory measures to strengthen transparency and risk management in microfinance
The Bank of Albania published remarks by Second Deputy Governor Natasha Ahmetaj outlining recent regulatory and supervisory measures to strengthen transparency, consumer protection and credit quality in the non-bank and microfinance sector. She underscored microfinance’s role in financial inclusion for small enterprises and borrowers with limited bank access, and stressed that affordable, responsible lending and strong reputational trust should remain central as the sector navigates financial and technological change.