More than 65,300 UAE residents and companies have accessed financial relief under a central bank programme launched in response to regional conflict, with loan deferrals, interest suspensions, and fee waivers among the forms of support extended.
Data from the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) shows that 60,559 individuals, 4,335 small and medium enterprises, and 485 corporates have benefited from the AED6.2 billion Comprehensive Proactive Financial Institutions Resilience Package.
The CBUAE rolled out the programme on March 18 to strengthen the banking sector against pressures stemming from the conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran. Eligible entities — ranging from individual borrowers to large corporates — may apply for payment deferrals of up to six months without being flagged for default, suspension of interest and fees on affected credit facilities, and continued financing access for priority economic sectors. No minimum loan size is required.
As of May 1, 2026, companies in the transport sector led uptake with 361 beneficiaries, followed by hospitality at 173 and entertainment at 134, reflecting the central bank’s prioritisation of those industries.
Several UAE lenders have since rolled out their own relief schemes aligned with the programme. Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) launched an initiative reaching close to 25,000 customers in consumer banking, available through June 30, 2026. Eligible customers can defer instalments by up to three months on select personal and auto finance products at no additional cost, and access zero-fee school fees payment plans for six months.
Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) introduced its “Sanadna” initiative, targeting frontline workers and SMEs with instalment deferrals of 30 to 60 days from April through June 2026, takaful protection options, and fee waivers of up to 50 per cent on new point-of-sale services.
First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) structured its package around frontline workers, offering preferential lending rates, cashback, flexible payment arrangements, and loan deferments, supported by priority service at 20 branches near major workplaces.
Emirates NBD extended its relief to include one additional month before instalment billing, zero per cent interest on credit card balance transfers, a processing fee waiver on zero per cent instalment plans until June 15, 2026, and a waiver of the AED100 loan deferment fee through June 30, 2026. Ajman Bank, under its “Talahom” initiative, separately waived personal finance instalment deferment fees for up to three months.
Alongside the relief activity, CBUAE data released Friday showed the broader banking sector continued to expand, with total assets up 2.1 per cent, loans growing 3.2 per cent, and deposits rising 1.9 per cent.
