The Empower Africa Business Platform is Now Live !!!
Sahel Capital, a specialist investment manager in sub‑Saharan Africa’s food and agriculture sectors, recently provided a loan of $590,000 to Rasad Nigeria through its Social Enterprise Fund for Agriculture in Africa (SEFAA).
The funding is allocated as follows: $450,000 for working capital and $140,000 for capital expenditure.
Rasad Nigeria, operating in Ogun State and led by a family-run team, sources cocoa and cashew from over 1,000 smallholder farmers and intermediaries. The business serves both domestic and international markets.
According to Deji Adebusoye, a partner at Sahel Capital, Rasad is significantly enhancing Nigeria’s cocoa sector.
“By reaching into border communities and maintaining procurement throughout the year, the company offers small‑scale farmers dependable market access and helps them manage fluctuations in commodity prices,” he said.
SEFAA is a $24 million impact fund, launched in 2021 with support from KfW Development Bank.
It primarily offers structured debt (with the flexibility for equity or quasi‑equity) to agribusiness SMEs across thirteen sub‑Saharan African countries.
Sahel Capital also manages FAFIN, the Fund for Agricultural Finance in Nigeria, which invests in Nigerian agribusiness SMEs.
Additionally, the firm is currently raising capital for Sahel Capital Agribusiness Fund II, intended to widen its agribusiness footprint across West Africa.
Advisory support for this loan transaction was provided by Jackson, Etti & Edu, who guided SEFAA through the process.
Egyptian fintech company MNT-Halan has achieved a valuation of $1.4 billion after completing the first closing of a new funding round led by Al Ahly Capital, the investment arm of the National Bank of Egypt.
Startupbootcamp, Mara Group, and Blend Financial Services have announced plans to launch a $250 million fund aimed at accelerating the growth of African technology startups.
Egyptian logistics startup Bosta is gearing up for further expansion after securing a fresh investment from Axian Group, a pan-African group and investment firm.
