responsAbility Commits Green Loan Facility to Fondi BESA in Albania

Zurich / Tirana, 11 February 2026 – responsAbility Investments AG has signed, through its Climate Finance strategy, a senior unsecured EUR 12 million green loan facility with Fondi BESA, Albania’s largest regulated non-banking microfinance institution. The facility aims to support the expansion of green lending to households and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), strengthening access to energy-efficiency and renewable energy investments in a market where dedicated green finance remains nascent.

In Albania, MSMEs and households often face limited access to structured green-lending programs, despite growing interest in energy-efficient and renewable energy solutions. Through this partnership, responsAbility and Fondi BESA aim to support the integration of green lending into microfinance operations, expanding access to climate finance for underserved segments of the economy.

As of mid-2025, Fondi BESA served approximately 27,500 MSME clients nationwide, playing a central role in supporting micro and small enterprises across the country. While the institution has previously financed a limited number of renewable energy and energy-efficiency projects, the partnership is designed to help scale these efforts in a structured and systematic manner.

Financing energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions

The EUR 12 million facility is structured as Facility A of EUR 6 million and Facility B of EUR 6 million, with the initial EUR 6 million disbursed in mid-December 2025. Proceeds from Facility A will be dedicated to building and expanding Fondi BESA’s green portfolio, with a focus on energy-efficiency home improvements and small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for households and MSMEs. Over the course of the partnership, the institution aims to gradually expand into additional eligible energy-efficiency and renewable energy technologies.

This collaboration is among Albania’s first structured green-finance partnerships in the microfinance sector, positioning Fondi BESA among the early movers in developing climate finance solutions for retail and MSME clients.

Supporting Albania’s energy transition

Albania’s electricity system is largely dependent on hydropower, making it highly sensitive to weather variability and rainfall patterns. Promoting energy-efficiency measures can help reduce electricity demand and reliance on imports in years of low precipitation, while distributed solar PV solutions can complement existing renewable generation capacity. With growing policy support and market interest, the country shows strong potential for residential energy-efficiency upgrades and distributed solar solutions—areas where microfinance institutions can play a key role in scaling adoption.

David Diaz Formidoni, Head of Climate Finance, Financial Institutions and Deputy Head of the Climate Finance strategy, said: “With this partnership, we are supporting Fondi BESA at an early but critical stage of its green lending journey. By combining long-term financing with a clear use-of-proceeds framework, we aim to help demonstrate that green finance can be scaled effectively through microfinance institutions, even in markets where climate finance is still at an early stage.”

Prof. Assoc. Dr. Bajram Muçaj, Executive Director of Fondi BESA, said: “This facility marks an important milestone in strengthening our institution’s role in Albania’s sustainable development. Through our partnership with responsAbility, we will expand access to energy efficient technologies and renewable energy solutions for individuals and small businesses, helping clients cut energy costs and reduce environmental impact, while advancing our strategy to build a long-term green portfolio with measurable environmental benefits and sustainable economic value.”

The transaction underscores responsAbility’s commitment, through its Climate Finance strategy, to supporting local financial institutions as catalysts for climate action, fostering resilient and inclusive financial ecosystems in emerging and developing markets.

About Fondi BESA Fondi BESA is Albania’s largest regulated non-banking microfinance institution, providing a comprehensive range of financial services tailored to the needs of micro and small enterprises across the country. With a strong and well-established nationwide presence, the institution serves thousands of clients in both urban and rural areas, supporting business growth, job creation, and local economic development.

Through its commitment to responsible finance, Fondi BESA plays a key role in promoting financial inclusion by improving access to formal financial services for underserved segments of the population. In parallel, the institution actively supports entrepreneurship and sustainable development by offering solutions that enhance business resilience, encourage innovation, and contribute to environmentally and socially responsible economic growth in Albania.