Published on September 2nd 2025

EDFI Management Company (EDFI MC) has provided a guarantee to support Swedfund’s USD 10 million loan to Platcorp Holdings Limited, a regional financial services provider focused on micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in East and Southern Africa.

The loan, which will be deployed across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia, aims to expand access to finance for underserved entrepreneurs and small businesses. Up to 50% of the loan is covered by EDFI MC guarantee through its MSME Platform Plus programme, which is part of the EFSD+ guarantee architecture. The programme is designed to de-risk investments in frontier markets and enable development finance institutions to scale their impact in supporting MSMEs, under the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+), as part of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy to promote financial inclusion.

“This guarantee demonstrates the power of blended finance to unlock private capital for inclusive growth,” said Fadila Hamdane, Chief Partnerships Officer in EDFI Management Company. “We are proud to support Swedfund’s investment in Platcorp, which will help strengthen financial ecosystems and empower entrepreneurs across the region.”

“With the backing of this EU guarantee, we can significantly scale our financing and help Platcorp extend its reach to more small businesses and entrepreneurs across East and Southern Africa,” said Marie Aglert, Chief Investment Officer at Swedfund. “This partnership enables us to mobilise additional capital where it is most needed and drive sustainable and inclusive growth.”

This collaboration reflects EDFI MC’s continued commitment to supporting EU development priorities and fostering sustainable private sector development in emerging markets.

Published on EDFI Management website