Mauritius Commercial Bank has more than doubled its green finance capacity, moving from an initial ceiling of Rs 10 billion to Rs 25 billion — roughly €470 million. It is the island's boldest climate finance pledge to date, and a signal that extends well beyond Mauritius.
A historic threshold
Launched in 2023 with a first envelope of Rs 10 billion, MCB's sustainable finance programme had fully deployed that initial capacity in under three years. Facing surging demand, the bank decided in July 2026 to raise its target to Rs 25 billion. Aldo Sydonie, Head of Mauritian and Regional Corporates, captured the trend: "We are seeing growing demand from businesses wanting to invest in projects combining economic performance and positive impact."
Concrete results from phase one
The Rs 10 billion already disbursed helped avoid 34,000 tonnes of CO₂ and install 21.1 megawatts of renewable energy capacity. Sectors covered include solar power, sustainable mobility, the circular economy, water management and nature-based solutions. For individuals, the Green Loan funds renewable investments; for SMEs, the Lokal is Beautiful scheme supports green transitions among smaller businesses.
Why it matters
Mauritius aims to become Africa's reference financial hub. By making green finance a strategic pillar, MCB — the island's largest bank — signals an ambition that transcends national borders: the Indian Ocean can position itself as a financing platform for climate transition across sub-Saharan Africa. With Rs 25 billion on the table, the next logical step is building a regional green bond market that lets this Mauritian momentum benefit the wider Indian Ocean zone.
Source: Eco Austral, July 2026 — MCB Group