Sahel Capital Secures $10M From Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund To Grow African Agri-SMEs
The Social Enterprise Fund for Agriculture in Africa (SEFAA), managed by Sahel Capital, has secured a $10 million investment from the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, according to a LinkedIn post. The fund is managed by MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates) in Mauritius.
A press release further notes that the investment will allow SEFAA to expand support for small and medium-sized agribusinesses (agri-SMEs), creating 10,000 jobs across 13 sub-Saharan African countries. These businesses, often excluded from traditional financing, play a critical role in empowering smallholder farmers and generating income opportunities for women and youth.
“Since the inception of the fund in 2021, we have processed 33 facilities to 18 companies in seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa,” said Mezuo Nwuneli, managing partner of Sahel Capital, in the release.
“This $10 million commitment from the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, through MEDA Mauritius, is a testament to our team’s hard work and the impactful work we are doing,” Nwuneli added. “It will be instrumental in accelerating our efforts to improve the income opportunity for SHFs by enabling the agri-SMEs that engage with them, further strengthening our position as a leading fund in the food and agriculture sector in Africa.”
Dorothy Nyambi, president and CEO of MEDA, highlighted the alignment between the organizations’ missions.
“We are proud to partner with SEFAA and Sahel Capital, whose strategic vision aligns with MEDA’s commitment to advancing economic opportunity through inclusive finance,” she said. “With the support of the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, this collaboration strengthens our shared mission to catalyse job creation for women and youth by financing SMEs and MSMEs, while also helping to build the enabling ecosystems they need to thrive sustainably.”
Launched in 2021 with initial capital from KfW Development Bank, per the release, SEFAA provides flexible financing — primarily debt, with optional equity or quasi-equity — to early-stage and growth-oriented agribusinesses, offering technical assistance to ensure long-term sustainability.
