EDFI Management Company Provides EU-Backed Guarantee to Support Swedfund’s USD 10 Million Loan to Platcorp for MSME Lending in East and Southern Africa
Brussels, 2 September 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.
About MSME Platform Plus
MSME Platform Plus is a guarantee programme managed by EDFI Management Company under the EFSD+ framework. It is designed to support financial institutions and impact investors in expanding lending to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa and the EU Neighbourhood. The programme aims to reduce risk and mobilise private capital to promote inclusive and sustainable economic development. Read more: https://edfimc.eu/what-we-do/edfi-msme-platform/
About EFSD+
The European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+) is the financing arm of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy. It provides guarantees and blended finance instruments to support investments that contribute to sustainable development, particularly in fragile and emerging markets.
About Global Gateway
Global Gateway is the European Union’s strategy to boost smart, clean, and secure connections in digital, energy, and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education, and research systems across the world. It aims to mobilise up to €300 billion in investments between 2021 and 2027 to support sustainable and trusted partnerships globally.
