The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has committed nearly €5.9 billion across 208 projects in Uzbekistan, cementing the country's position as the bank's largest recipient in Central Asia for six consecutive years. On March 25, 2026, EBRD First Vice President Greg Guyett confirmed the scale of the programme during high-level meetings in Tashkent with Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev, where both sides outlined 2026 priorities including energy network upgrades, irrigation modernization, railway digitalization, and electric bus systems. For international contractors, consultants, and suppliers, this is one of the most concentrated pipelines of development-bank-financed projects anywhere in the world right now.
The Scale of EBRD's Uzbekistan Commitment
The €5.9 billion figure represents the EBRD's cumulative investment in Uzbekistan, with a current active exposure exceeding €3.2 billion. Roughly 60% of funding is directed to private sector companies, while the remainder supports sovereign and municipal infrastructure projects that are procured through the EBRD's e-Procurement Portal (ECEPP).
In 2025 alone, the EBRD invested over $1 billion (approximately €880 million) in Uzbekistan through 118 active projects. Across the broader Central Asia and Mongolia region, the bank deployed nearly $2 billion across 120 projects — one of its strongest operational results in the region in over a decade.
The country-by-country breakdown for 2025 illustrates Uzbekistan's dominance:
- Uzbekistan: $1 billion (118 projects)
- Kazakhstan: $440 million
- Mongolia: $218 million
- Kyrgyz Republic: $212 million
- Tajikistan: $100 million
Two key metrics stand out: 68% of total investment went to private sector operations, and 53% qualified as green economy projects — both figures reflecting the EBRD's strategic pivot toward climate-aligned, private-sector-led development.
Energy Transition: A Solar and Storage Bonanza
Uzbekistan's energy sector is where the largest procurement opportunities are concentrated. The government has set an ambitious target of 25 GW of solar and wind capacity by 2030, and the EBRD is a lead financier in making that target a reality.
Kashkadarya Solar and Storage Complex
In January 2026, the EBRD approved a $195.5 million financing package for a 300 MW solar photovoltaic plant paired with a 75 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in the Kashkadarya region. The project developer is Nur Kashkadarya Solar, a special-purpose vehicle wholly owned by Masdar (Abu Dhabi's clean energy company). The plant will generate approximately 664 GWh of electricity per year, powering roughly 60,000 homes and reducing annual CO2 emissions by up to 400,000 tonnes.
The financing structure includes concessional co-financing from Canada ($20 million), Finland ($5 million), and the Japan-EBRD Cooperation Fund ($3.9 million), with additional co-financing expected from the Asian Development Bank.
Gigawatt-Scale Solar Programme
Separately, the EBRD provided $142 million for a 1 GW solar facility combined with 1,336 MWh of battery storage — one of the largest integrated solar-plus-storage projects in Central Asia. These projects require international EPC contractors, solar panel suppliers, battery system integrators, and grid connection specialists.
To date, the EBRD has supported 1.65 GW of wind, 2.4 GW of solar, and 668 MW / 1,837 MWh of battery storage across its Uzbekistan portfolio. Each new project generates tenders for engineering design, equipment supply, construction management, and operations and maintenance contracts.
Infrastructure: Irrigation, Ports, and Railways
Beyond energy, the EBRD's 2026 priorities in Uzbekistan include several large-scale infrastructure tenders that are now entering procurement stages.
Irrigation Modernization
A $250 million programme is modernizing 110 irrigation pump stations across Uzbekistan's agricultural heartlands. This is one of the largest water infrastructure investments in Central Asia and requires specialized suppliers of pump equipment, SCADA systems, canal lining materials, and civil works contractors. Given Uzbekistan's reliance on cotton and grain production, irrigation modernization is a government priority tied to both food security and climate adaptation.
Regional Transport Corridors
In Kazakhstan, the EBRD invested €45 million in the expansion of Aktau port on the Caspian Sea — a critical node in the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (the "Middle Corridor") linking China to Europe. In the Kyrgyz Republic, a €62 million transmission line project is strengthening regional energy connectivity.
Railway Digitalization and Urban Transit
The March 2026 Tashkent discussions specifically highlighted railway system digitalization as a near-term priority, along with proposals for electric bus networks in Nukus and Samarkand. These programmes will generate technology and IT tenders for signaling systems, fleet management platforms, e-ticketing solutions, and vehicle procurement.
Privatization and PPP Opportunities
Uzbekistan is in the middle of one of the most ambitious privatization programmes among EBRD countries of operations. In April 2025, Presidential Decree No. 70 authorized the auction of state shares in 115 enterprises, 659 state-owned real estate assets, and approximately 6,100 hectares of non-agricultural land.
The government has hired Franklin Templeton as asset manager of the newly launched $2 billion Uzbekistan National Investment Fund (UzNIF), which will facilitate IPOs of Uzbek state-owned enterprises on international stock markets. The target is to achieve a BBB+ credit rating by 2030.
For procurement professionals, privatization creates opportunities in two ways:
- Pre-privatization modernization: SOEs preparing for sale often issue tenders for management consulting, financial advisory, IT system upgrades, and environmental compliance assessments.
- Post-privatization expansion: New private owners typically invest in capacity expansion, process optimization, and supply chain modernization — all of which generate procurement activity.
The EBRD is directly supporting this agenda through technical assistance, corporate governance improvements, and capital markets development programmes.
Manufacturing and Retail Expansion
The EBRD's private sector investments in Uzbekistan are also creating procurement pipelines in manufacturing and retail:
- Texnomart (consumer electronics retailer): $10 million for IT infrastructure modernization, equipment acquisition, and workforce development programmes through partnerships with local educational institutions.
- UzCarlsberg (beverage producer): €14 million for new production facilities with sustainability-focused water and energy efficiency upgrades.
- SEEM/Bayan Medical (pharmaceuticals): €20 million to expand production of intravenous solutions, antibiotics, and generic medicines. Currently, 75% of Uzbekistan's medical goods are imported — this investment aims to shift that balance toward domestic manufacturing, creating supplies tenders for production line equipment, quality control systems, and packaging technology.
SME and Women Entrepreneur Programmes
The EBRD's support for small and medium enterprises in Central Asia has reached significant scale:
- Over 4,600 SMEs received assistance in 2025
- The Women in Business Programme reached its 10-year milestone, having supported 100,000+ women entrepreneurs with $365 million in financing
- The Star Venture programme, launched as the first regional startup accelerator connecting entrepreneurs across four Central Asian countries, is now operational
- Three regional companies were accepted into the Blue Ribbon SME programme for high-growth businesses
These programmes often involve procurement of consulting services — business advisors, training providers, financial literacy consultants, and technology platform developers.
Countries and Regions to Watch
The EBRD's Central Asia portfolio extends well beyond Uzbekistan, and each country offers distinct procurement opportunities:
- Kazakhstan: $440 million invested in 2025, with Aktau port expansion and energy transition projects. The country's vast mineral resources and growing transit role on the Middle Corridor make it attractive for logistics and mining sector suppliers.
- Kyrgyz Republic: $212 million in 2025, focused on energy transmission, renewable energy, and SME development. The Kyrgyz Republic is also receiving EBRD support for hydropower rehabilitation.
- Mongolia: $218 million in 2025, with major investments in financial sector development (XacBank $147 million, Khan Bank $20 million) and mining infrastructure.
- Tajikistan: $100 million in 2025, including the landmark Qairokkum hydropower upgrade expanding capacity from 126 MW to 174 MW.
What This Means for Contractors
The EBRD's procurement for public sector projects is conducted through the EBRD Client e-Procurement Portal (ECEPP), where all tenders for goods, works, and consultancy contracts are published. Private sector clients manage their own procurement, though EBRD-financed projects must follow the bank's procurement policies.
For contractors looking to enter or expand in Central Asia, here are actionable steps:
- Register on the ECEPP portal to receive notifications for EBRD-financed tenders in Uzbekistan and the region
- Monitor EBRD tenders on BidsFactory for the latest opportunities
- Target renewable energy procurement — solar, wind, and battery storage projects are the largest individual contracts in the pipeline
- Consider irrigation and water infrastructure — the $250 million pump modernization programme is creating significant demand for specialized suppliers
- Track privatization announcements — 115 SOEs being prepared for sale will generate advisory and modernization contracts throughout 2026
Looking Ahead
The EBRD's 2026 programme in Central Asia is still ramping up. With Uzbekistan targeting $120 billion in total investment during the 2022-2026 period and the EBRD's current exposure at €3.2 billion, the bank is well-positioned to increase its annual deployment beyond the $1 billion mark achieved in 2025. Key milestones to watch include the first UzNIF-facilitated IPOs, the commissioning of gigawatt-scale solar projects, and the rollout of electric bus networks in secondary cities.
For procurement professionals worldwide, Central Asia — and Uzbekistan in particular — represents one of the fastest-growing markets for development-bank-financed contracts. Browse the latest EBRD tenders and Central Asian procurement opportunities on BidsFactory to stay ahead of the pipeline.
