The Asian Development Bank is ramping up support for inclusive and sustainable housing in Kazakhstan, approving a major 90 billion tenge ($173.6 million) loan to Otbasy Bank.

The funding will expand access to affordable mortgages for more than 2,000 households across the country - with a strong focus on women borrowers - while also introducing green mortgage products aimed at cutting energy costs, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

The initiative, titled the Promoting Inclusive and Green Housing Finance Project, is designed to tackle two pressing challenges at once: gender inequality in access to housing finance and the country’s high share of energy-inefficient homes.

“Our partnership with Otbasy Bank on the Umai Program showed how access to affordable mortgages can transform women’s lives,” said ADB Country Director for Kazakhstan Utsav Kumar. “This new phase builds on that success by adding green financing solutions that support sustainable living.”

Women make up more than half of Kazakhstan’s population but earn roughly 25% less than men on average - a gap that continues to limit their access to housing. At the same time, over 80% of the country’s housing stock is considered energy-intensive, underscoring the need for more efficient solutions.

To strengthen long-term impact, ADB is also providing $500,000 in technical assistance, co-financed with Otbasy Bank, to improve climate risk assessment and integrate environmental, social, and governance standards into housing finance.

Kazakhstan has been a member of ADB since 1994, with the bank committing over $8 billion to the country’s development across sectors such as transport, energy, and public administration.

The move comes shortly after Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with ADB President Masato Kanda, signaling continued momentum in strengthening cooperation.