NIB and Säästöpankki Optia sign new loan programme for SME finance

NIB and Säästöpankki Optia have signed a seven-year loan facility of EUR 30 million for onlending to small and medium-sized enterprises and for financing environmental projects in Finland.

This is the third loan programme signed between NIB and Säästöpankki Optia; the first was agreed in 2013 and a second followed in 2014. In total, 258 projects in the Finnish SME sector, including two wind power projects, have received financing from the joint facilities.

Under this new loan programme, Säästöpankki Optia will again provide financing to its SME customers in eastern, central and northern Finland, which also includes customers in the agricultural and forestry sectors.

“We are happy to continue our cooperation with Säästöpankki Optia, which has enabled us to reach a large number of small and medium-sized enterprises in Finland. SMEs are an integral part of the economy in the Nordic region, and of great importance to productivity and growth”, says Henrik Normann, NIB President & CEO.

“The collaboration with NIB allows us to offer SME financing at a competitive price. We are looking forward to continue working with NIB and to strengthen local competitiveness together”, says Kalevi Hilli, CEO of Säästöpankki Optia.

Säästöpankki Optia is the largest of the 23 savings bank in the Finnish Savings Banks Group. By the end of June 2017, the bank had approximately 75,884 customers in eastern, central and northern Finland. Säästöpankki Optia currently operates 17 branch offices.

NIB is an international financial institution owned by eight member countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden. The Bank finances private and public projects in and outside the member countries. NIB has the highest possible credit rating, AAA/Aaa, with the leading rating agencies Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s.

For further information, please contact

Nordic Investment Bank:

Ms Taina Ulkoniemi, Senior Manager, Origination, at +358 10 618 0231,

Ms Lisa-Maria Altenberger, Communications Unit, at +358 10 618 0234,  

Säästöpankki Optia:

Kalevi Hilli, CEO, Säästöpankki Optia, at. +358 40 551 1402,