In a key step toward potential industry consolidation, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has granted permission for Mobilink Microfinance Bank Limited to conduct due diligence on APNA Microfinance Bank Limited (AMBL). The central bank’s approval, dated February 6, 2026, is a preliminary but necessary move for a possible merger or acquisition between the two institutions.
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The approval allows Mobilink Bank to examine APNA’s financial and operational records in detail for a period of two months, until approximately April 6, 2026. The due diligence team must sign confidentiality agreements, and the SBP has made it clear that this permission is only for the investigative phase and does not constitute final approval for any transaction.
Should the due diligence be successful and negotiations proceed, the proposed plan is for APNA to be merged into Mobilink Microfinance Bank under the Banking Companies Ordinance. The SBP has set important conditions for any future deal, stating that depositors’ funds from neither bank can be used to finance the transaction at any stage, and any final merger request will be evaluated separately on its own merits.
For now, this development is at a preliminary stage. APNA Microfinance Bank has stated that it does not have any immediate impact on its current financial position or daily operations.
