Egyptian digital payments company eFinance is expanding deeper into financial services with a proposed acquisition of Tamweely Financial Services, a move that would take the company beyond payment infrastructure and into regulated lending for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
eFinance has received regulatory clearance to proceed with the acquisition of approximately 99.32% of Tamweely, according to disclosures reported in August. The transaction still requires additional approvals and corporate steps before completion.
Tamweely is a major Egyptian non-bank financial services provider focused on financing micro and small businesses. Founded in 2017, the company has expanded its reach across Egypt and currently serves more than 130,000 active clients. More than half of those customers are women, highlighting the company’s role in extending financing to underserved entrepreneurs.
The proposed acquisition gives eFinance an opportunity to connect its digital infrastructure with Tamweely’s lending capabilities. Rather than operating only as a technology and payments infrastructure provider, eFinance could use data, digital distribution and its existing ecosystem to support a wider range of financial products.
That combination is particularly relevant to Egypt’s MSME sector, where access to formal financing remains an important challenge. Tamweely has already expanded beyond traditional microfinance, launching dedicated SME lending and introducing products including Islamic financing and revolving credit. It has also invested in digital onboarding, electronic contracting and loan disbursement through digital wallets.
The deal is structured using both cash and eFinance shares. The company plans to issue approximately 146.1 million new shares, representing about 4% of its enlarged share capital, alongside upfront cash consideration of up to EGP956.4 million. Additional performance-linked consideration is also part of the transaction.
For eFinance, the transaction represents a strategic shift toward capturing more value from the financial activity taking place across its technology ecosystem. Its existing business has positioned the company as an important provider of digital transaction infrastructure in Egypt, while Tamweely adds a regulated lending operation with an established customer base.
The acquisition also gives Tamweely access to eFinance’s technology and distribution capabilities. Its previous investors said the company had already expanded its branch network beyond 250 locations, strengthened its credit-decisioning platform and introduced digital processes designed to make lending more accessible.
However, the transaction is not yet complete. It remains subject to conditions including approval from eFinance’s extraordinary general meeting and relevant regulatory authorities, including Egypt’s Financial Regulatory Authority. The companies expect completion in the second half of 2026, subject to those conditions.
If completed, the acquisition could mark a new phase for eFinance—one in which payments infrastructure, digital technology and lending are brought together under a broader financial-services strategy.
For Tamweely, meanwhile, the deal offers a new owner with the technology and distribution capabilities to potentially scale its lending business further across Egypt’s underserved MSME market.
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