The Governor of the National Bank of Georgia (NBG), Natia Turnava, Participated in the economic forum “Resilience of Georgia’s Banking Sector: Challenges and New Opportunities.” During the panel discussion, the NBG Governor highlighted the strong performance indicators of Georgia’s banking sector, emphasizing its high resilience and rapid development, which have received positive assessments from a number of international financial institutions.

“Georgia’s financial system is distinguished by a high degree of transparency. Compared to both regional and European peers, Georgian banks remain among the best-capitalized institutions, supported by strong liquidity buffers, high-quality assets and sound profitability all of which form the foundation of the sector’s resilience. The share of non-performing loans stands at a historic low of 2.5%. Total banking sector assets currently exceed GEL 108 billion, accounting for more than 100% of GDP. Credit activity remains strong, while deposit volumes have reached nearly GEL 70 billion equivalent. Notably, non-residents account for approximately 20–25% of total deposits, underscoring strong confidence in Georgian banks as a preferred destination for savings. These achievements are driven by the country’s stable macroeconomic environment, as well as the NBG’s prudent, effective and balanced policy framework,” Natia Turnava stated.

The NBG Governor also addressed the key challenges facing the banking sector, noting that global turbulence, including developments in the wider region, remains one of the sector’s primary challenges. She further emphasized the importance of managing structural risks related to financial dollarization.

In addition, Natia Turnava underscored the importance of regional expansion for Georgian banks. According to her assessment, entering regional markets enables banks to broaden their customer base, diversify revenue streams and reduce dependence on the domestic market alone.

“Over recent years, Georgia has developed one of the region’s most technologically advanced financial systems. This is evidenced by the increasing expansion of leading Georgian banking groups into regional markets. The process is important not only for individual banks, but also for strengthening the international positioning of Georgia’s financial sector. Successful regional expansion by Georgian banks enhances the country’s reputation as a regional financial services hub, while also contributing to deeper financial integration and stronger economic ties across regional markets,” Natia Turnava added.

The panel discussion also featured Archil Gachechiladze, Chief Executive Officer of Lion Finance Group; Alexander Dzneladze, President of the Georgian Bankers’ Association; and David Zghudadze, Vice President of Mastercard for Georgia and Armenia. The discussion was moderated by Giorgi Abashishvili, Founder and Head of Business Insider Georgia and the Georgian Economic Forum.

The forum brought together representatives of the legislative and executive branches of government, business leaders, founders and partners of various companies, as well as representatives of the academic and analytical sectors.