The UAE-based Yango Group invested in Zanifu, a Kenyan-based financial technology platform specializing in inventory financing for small and medium enterprises. The acquisition was executed through Yango Ventures, the group's recently capitalized $20 million investment vehicle targeting high-potential emerging markets.
The move provides the Yango Group with immediate access to a proven financial technology platform that has demonstrated market traction. Zanifu has established a foothold in Kenya's SME financing sector, having successfully deployed capital to 15,000 business clients and managed a loan portfolio totaling tens of millions of dollars. The platform's focused approach to inventory financing addresses a critical gap in working capital availability for Africa's retail sector.
"Zanifu is working precisely on what we care about: creating tools that help other businesses to grow. By providing thousands of SMEs with real access to capital, the team enables them to expand their operations and succeed,” said Daniil Shuleyko, CEO of Yango Group, in a statement. Beyond capital deployment, Yango Group will implement its extensive operational expertise to accelerate Zanifu's growth trajectory. Leveraging experience from successful market entries across 30+ global territories, Yango will optimize Zanifu's credit assessment protocols, enhance risk management frameworks, and streamline operational efficiency to maximize market penetration and profitability.
This investment marks the inaugural deployment from Yango Ventures' $20 million fund, which was explicitly established to capitalize on high-growth opportunities in Africa, Latin America, and the MENA region. The fund targets strategic positions in financial technology, B2B software solutions, and online-to-offline service platforms, combining capital investment with operational expertise to drive accelerated growth and market dominance.
Yango Group is a global technology enterprise that develops and scales market-proven technologies through localized business units across international markets. Meanwhile, Zanifu is a Nairobi-based financial technology company that provides targeted working capital solutions and inventory financing platforms to small and medium-sized enterprises across Kenya.
By Cynthia Ebot Takang
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