Mauritius Bank Lending Tops Rs 641 Billion in September 2026

Total outstanding credit extended by Mauritius's banking sector reached Rs 641.89 billion at the end of September 2026, according to a statistical report published by the Bank of Mauritius on 30 October 2026.

Of that total, Rs 425.11 billion was lent in Mauritian rupees, while the equivalent of Rs 216.78 billion was extended in foreign currencies. When loans to Global Business Companies, which include offshore holding structures and other licensed entities, are excluded, the credit flowing into the domestic economy stands at Rs 522.62 billion.

Households are the single largest borrowing group, accounting for Rs 220.3 billion in outstanding loans from commercial banks. Within that figure, home loans dominate: Rs 154.6 billion, or roughly 70.2 percent of total household debt, is tied up in housing finance. The remaining Rs 65.7 billion covers other personal credit such as car loans and consumer borrowing.

Non-financial private sector companies, meaning businesses outside government ownership and outside the financial industry, hold the second-largest share of credit at Rs 219.97 billion. Trade and commerce are among the key sectors driving corporate borrowing, reflecting the central role that retail, wholesale and import-export activity play in the Mauritian economy.

The Bank of Mauritius is the country's central bank, responsible for monetary policy, financial stability and the regulation of all licensed banks and deposit-taking institutions. It publishes monthly and quarterly statistical bulletins to track credit conditions across the economy.

What this means: The Rs 641.89 billion figure is more than a headline number. It reflects how actively banks are putting money to work across households, businesses and sectors. The strong share of housing credit, at over 70 percent of household borrowing, confirms that property remains the dominant financial commitment for most Mauritian families. The gap between the headline figure and the domestic figure, roughly Rs 119 billion, highlights the significant weight of Global Business activity in the island's banking system, even though that money does not directly circulate in the local economy. For investors and analysts, sustained credit growth signals confidence in economic activity, but it also raises questions about debt serviceability if interest rates or inflation shift.

Source: ION News