Brazil's Amazon Women Entrepreneurs Get € 500M Microcredit Boost

Women entrepreneurs across Brazil’s Amazon region will gain greater access to finance after EIB Global and Banco do Brasil signed a €250 million financing agreement on 31 August 2026. The deal is expected to mobilise €500 million in microcredit for around 50,000 women-led and women-owned microbusinesses across the Legal Amazon.

The initiative aims to tackle persistent barriers to formal finance for women running small businesses, particularly in remote and underserved communities. Limited access to banking infrastructure, credit histories and affordable financing has often restricted entrepreneurs’ ability to invest in equipment, increase production, hire workers or expand their operations.

Key Highlights:

• EIB Global signs a €250 million financing deal with Banco do Brasil
• The agreement will unlock €500 million in microcredit for women-led businesses
• Around 50,000 women entrepreneurs across Brazil’s Legal Amazon could benefit

Under the agreement, the European Investment Bank’s development arm will provide €250 million to Banco do Brasil, which will use the financing to expand its microcredit offering and double the available funding. The programme is also expected to provide longer loan maturities, giving entrepreneurs greater flexibility to manage investments and plan for sustainable business growth.

The initiative builds on a statement of intent signed by EIB Global and Banco do Brasil during COP30 in Belém in November 2025. That earlier commitment outlined a €350 million financing push covering women’s microcredit and clean energy access in the region. The latest agreement formalises the women-focused component and expands its potential reach.

Beyond financial inclusion, the programme connects women’s entrepreneurship with sustainable development and climate priorities. It forms part of the EU-Brazil Green Deal and the Global Gateway strategy, while supporting initiatives linked to sustainable livelihoods and economic development across the Amazon Basin.

EIB Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris said the agreement demonstrates how Global Gateway financing can translate into practical opportunities on the ground. The bank’s investment is expected to help mobilise twice its contribution in credit and create more inclusive economic opportunities for approximately 50,000 women entrepreneurs.

Banco do Brasil will contribute its local lending network and experience to channel the financing towards businesses across the region. Jose Ricardo Sasseron, the bank’s Vice-President for Government and Corporate Sustainability, highlighted the potential of the partnership to direct capital towards climate action, competitiveness and innovation, alongside social and environmental benefits.

For women operating microbusinesses, access to more suitable credit could support tangible improvements, from purchasing inventory and upgrading equipment to strengthening cash flow and creating employment.

The programme therefore places women’s economic empowerment at the centre of a broader development agenda. By combining international finance with local banking reach, the initiative seeks to strengthen women-owned businesses while supporting more resilient and sustainable communities across Brazil’s Amazon.