In August 2018, Development Partners International (DPI) invested USD45m in MNT Investments, an Egypt-based holding company combined by Mashroey and Tasaheel, firms that are both involved in the consumer finance and microfinance sectors. In September 2021, DPI supported the company in establishing MNT-Halan, a fintech serving small businesses and individuals lacking access to traditional financial services.

With DPI’s support, MNT-Halan developed its digital infrastructure by assisting with sourcing and hiring local tech talent to automate the credit approval process through machine learning. DPI’s equity infusions, combined with the technology buildout, have helped MNT-Halan boost its market share in the SME lending space from 9% in 2018 to about 25% to date.

MNT-Halan prioritizes lending to women entrepreneurs, which represent 53% of its customer base as of the end of 2021, thereby increasing their economic participation. The company plans to continue to provide a comprehensive digital ecosystem for the underbanked, rolling out services such as salary advances, fixed-income lending and physical credit cards.