• Additional $800,000 brings MM Lekker’s total SEFAA financing to $1.2 million

• Company to expand farmer network, strengthen supply chain, and improve operations

• Support includes capacity building aimed at raising productivity and export readiness

Sahel Capital, the Nigeria-based fund manager, announced on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, that it has approved an additional $800,000 in financing for MM Lekker, a Benin company involved in sourcing and trading soybeans, shea nuts, and cashew nuts.

The new funding follows an initial $400,000 facility granted in March 2025, bringing the total backing from the Social Enterprise Fund for Agriculture in Africa (SEFAA), managed by Sahel Capital, to $1.2 million.

The fresh capital will allow MM Lekker to reinforce its supply chain, streamline operations, and expand its network of smallholder farmers throughout Benin. “This new facility will help us scale our operations, improve supply chain efficiency, and continue offering stronger commercial opportunities to our farmers,” said CEO Ahimakin Armel Théodore.

He noted that sustained support remains crucial because smallholders “are the backbone of Benin’s agriculture sector but face ongoing challenges including limited market access, unstable prices, and fragmented value chains.” With SEFAA’s financing and capacity-building support, the company has strengthened internal systems, improved governance, and deepened its engagement with farming communities.

Since March 2025, MM Lekker has more than doubled its base of partner farmers, rising from about 1,000 to over 2,500 producers.

Sahel Capital’s involvement goes beyond financing. The fund has provided technical assistance that helped MM Lekker enhance governance and operational processes. The company is transferring these gains to farmers through training programs aimed at improving yields and product quality—key for meeting export requirements. It also offers logistical services, including storage and post-harvest management, to reduce losses and stabilize farmer incomes.

The new investment is part of Sahel Capital’s broader push into francophone Africa. It marks the fund’s fourth operation in the region. After MM Lekker’s first loan in March, Sahel Capital invested $500,000 in April 2025 in Tafalo, an Ivorian trading company specializing in soybeans, sesame, and rice. In August, Nulla Group, a women-led enterprise in Cameroon focused on maize aggregation and processing, received a $1.5 million loan.

Sandrine Gaingne