The National Bank of Egypt (NBE) won an award by Banker Africa, affiliated to CPI Financial, as the 2015 best bank in North Africa in the field of financing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

In statements on Monday, NBE Deputy Chairman Mahmoud Montasser said that the award reflected the bank's efforts to use all available means, including the latest automated systems and human and financial resources, to serve its clients.

The bank's SME loan portfolio exceeds 18 billion pounds by the end of 2015.

The annual Banker Africa Awards are continent-wide programs open to all banks and financial institutions in Africa. 

The aim of the Banker Africa Awards, broken down by four individual regions, is to recognize outstanding performance and excellence in the financial services industry.