Yango Ventures is doubling down on Africa’s fintech scene with its second investment from a $20 million fund launched in 2025.
The investor supports Kenya’s Zanifu, a fintech business that provides working-capital finance to SMEs that traditional banks neglect.
This reinforces Yango Ventures’ support of digital commerce and financial infrastructure.
Zanifu’s aim: unlocking SME credit efficiently
Zanifu addresses a significant barrier for small retailers and distributors, which is the lack of access to formal credit. Using an embedded lending model and data-driven underwriting, Zanifu advances short-term loans, usually up to $2,000, that merchants repay from ongoing sales.
RelatedPosts
The startup integrates with supplier networks and point-of-sale systems to reduce borrower friction and improve risk assessment using inventory turns and order history.
According to Zanifu founders Steve Biko and Sebastian Mithika, the company “has disbursed more than $60 million in financing to over 15,000 SMEs,” achieving notable financial sustainability with “two consecutive months at breakeven”.
Backing digital Infrastructure for growth
Yango Ventures’ bet on Zanifu complements its prior investment in BuuPass, a mobility-ticketing platform.
The investor emphasises companies that enhance “real-time, high-impact financial rails for the continent,” focusing on fintech, B2B SaaS, and e-commerce enablement.
Zanifu’s innovative credit model offers African SMEs tools to “keep shelves stocked, smooth cash cycles, and grow basket sizes without resorting to expensive informal credit,” helping overcome the continent’s estimated $5.2 trillion annual SME financing gap reported by the International Finance Corporation (IFC). With this fresh funding, Zanifu plans to expand its product range and enter new African markets, aiming to empower many more underserved businesses.
This strategic investment captures a growing trend where accessible, data-powered finance transforms the operational landscape for SMEs in Africa, proving to be a vital lever for inclusive economic development.