EFSD+ MSME Platform Guarantee backs DEG’s loan to CRDB Bank to boost SME financing in Tanzania

EDFI Management Company supports DEG’s USD 25 million investment in CRDB Bank with a partial guarantee under the EU’s Global Gateway strategy

BRUSSELS, Belgium — 30 October 2025 — EDFI Management Company has provided a USD 8.25 million guarantee under the EFSD+ MSME Platform Guarantee Programme to support DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH’s USD 25 million long-term loan to CRDB Bank PLC in Tanzania. The transaction contributes to the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy and aims to expand access to finance for small businesses, particularly in rural areas.

CRDB Bank is one of Tanzania’s leading commercial banks, with a strong footprint in SME financing across underserved regions. DEG’s loan will enable CRDB to scale its lending to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), including women-led businesses and rural entrepreneurs. The USD 8.25 million guarantee provided by EDFI Management Company de-risks part of the investment, facilitating increased capital flow to high-impact segments of the economy.

The EFSD+ MSME Platform Guarantee Programme is designed to support European development finance institutions in mobilising private capital for sustainable development. By sharing risk, the programme enables institutions like DEG to extend financing to local banks that serve MSMEs, which are often excluded from traditional financial services.

“This guarantee allows us to support DEG’s investment in CRDB Bank, which will unlock much-needed financing for SMEs in Tanzania,” said Fadila Hamdane, Chief Partnerships Officer at EDFI Management Company. “It reflects our commitment to leveraging European resources to catalyse private sector development in Africa.”

Monika Beck, member of the Management Board of DEG, added: “CRDB Bank is a long-standing customer of DEG. The current investment makes a vital contribution to the local economy and supports underserved rural businesses. The partnership with EDFI Management Company under the MSME Platform Guarantee Programme helps to mobilise investments that are particularly important in terms of their development impact, as they create jobs, increase local incomes and contribute to economic growth on the ground”.

The transaction contributes to the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, which aims to mobilise up to €300 billion in investments between 2021 and 2027 to support sustainable infrastructure and inclusive growth globally. EFSD+ plays a central role in this effort by providing guarantees and blended finance instruments to crowd in private investment.

About EDFI Management Company and EDFI MSME Platforms:

EDFI Management Company (EDFI MC) is a multilaterally owned impact asset manager which delivers innovative development finance solutions that enable European DFIs, development banks and private sector investors to increase the scale and impact of their work. The company focuses on business models, technologies and geographies where other investors have not been able to operate at the desired scale given their resources and investment criteria. For more information, visit www.edfimc.eu

The EDFI MSME Platform and MSME Platform Plus are joint EFSD+ guarantee programmes developed by European Development Finance Institutions and EDFI Management Company under the EU’s Global Gateway. Backed by a €335 million guarantee, the Platforms support local financial institutions to increase lending to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Sub-Saharan Africa and the EU Neighbourhood. With a focus on underserved groups—including women, youth, migrants, and rural entrepreneurs—the Platform aims to foster inclusive economic growth and sustainable development in EU partner countries. For more information see: https://edfimc.eu/what-we-do/edfi-msme-platform/

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.