The company, which launched its Commercial Solutions arm in 2025, is leveraging its 11-year legacy to move beyond retail lending.

By focusing on timely liquidity for high-growth sectors, Zedvance aims to bridge the financing gap that often hampers the scaling of local enterprises.

A Pivot Driven by High-Growth Sectors

The ₦96 billion funding has been deployed across critical pillars of the Nigerian economy, including Oil & Gas, Fintech, Agriculture, Renewable Energy, and E-commerce. Through a suite of products, ranging from working capital and invoice discounting to equipment finance, Zedvance is enabling businesses to strengthen operational resilience despite macroeconomic headwinds.

Speaking on the firm’s purpose-built model, Adedayo Amzat, the group managing director of Zedcrest Group, emphasized the intentionality behind their flagship Liquidity Solutions product.

“We are proud of our accomplishments so far, especially the impact we’ve made in sectors that are critical to economic development. For instance, through solar and asset on-lending, we have helped to expand energy access and improve income opportunities for gig workers by financing mobility asset platforms across Nigeria. Because our customers are at the heart of our business, we were intentional about designing our flagship product, ‘Liquidity Solutions’ to allow businesses unlock faster credit delivery across all high-growth sectors. This has proven impactful as we continue to witness our clients record great successes,” Amzat said.

Amzat further noted that these tailored structures, which include inventory and import financing, allow businesses to optimize cash flow and accelerate turnover.

Technology and Strategic Partnerships

The rapid growth of the Commercial Solutions business, achieving one of the highest disbursement rates in the industry, is attributed to its tech-driven, risk-moderated approach.

Ayooluwa Oladimeji, acting executive director, Commercial Solutions, highlighted that the firm’s success in 2025 was fueled by partnerships with key ecosystem players.

“In 2025 alone, Zedvance Commercial Solution business recorded tremendous growth, driven by strong partnerships and a rapidly expanding portfolio. We are proud to have supported a range of businesses including; Shekel Mobility, Tradegrid, Sapphire, CredPal and other ecosystem partners. Beyond these successes, our focus remains on strengthening credit access across Africa’s commercial ecosystems to enable businesses scale with confidence and resilience,” Oladimeji stated.

The 2026 Outlook: ₦250 Billion Target

Building on this momentum, Zedvance has set an ambitious target to disburse over ₦250 billion in 2026. This expansion will target off-grid power, smart devices, agribusiness, manufacturing, and hospitality.

By scaling its reach, the firm aims to solidify its mission of accelerating enterprise growth through broader credit access across Africa’s commercial landscape.

For investors and business owners, Zedvance’s pivot represents the growing importance of non-bank financial institutions in providing the agile capital necessary for industrial expansion when traditional banking channels face liquidity constraints.

EFInA is a financial sector development organisation committed to promoting financial inclusion in Nigeria, with the vision of becoming the leader in facilitating an all-inclusive, growth-promoting financial system.

New Board Member, Kola Aina has been instrumental in advancing financial inclusion across Nigeria and Africa.

His venture capital firm’s investments in fintech companies, such as PiggyVest, have provided financial services to over 5 million underserved individuals, contributing to a 13.5% increase in financial inclusion in Nigeria.

In addition to financial inclusion, Aina and his team at Ventures Platform foster entrepreneurship, create jobs, optimise supply chains, and empower founders to develop market-creating innovations that address Africa’s complex challenges while accelerating digital transformation across the continent’s startup ecosystem.

Commenting on Aina’s pivotal role in the enhancement of financial innovation and access in the Nigeria tech ecosystem, Dr. Agnes Olatokunbo Martins, former Director at the Central Bank of Nigeria, and Chairman of the Board, said that Aina’s venture capital firm – Ventures Platform strategically invests in fintech innovations that can deepen financial inclusion across the continent and his appointment to the board is pleasant and strategically beneficial decision that the African financial sector will forever be grateful for.

“We are delighted to welcome Kola Aina to the EFInA Board. Kola has been a pivotal figure in the African tech ecosystem, funding financial innovations that align with our mission to promote income growth for the bottom 40% of the population and foster social and economic inclusion, as outlined in SDG 10 on Reducing Inequalities. Kola’s experience in entrepreneurship, mentorship, and backing fintech giants that have significantly improved financial inclusion will be invaluable as we strive to create a more inclusive financial sector,” Dr Martins said.

On his appointment, Aina said,

“I am thrilled to join the EFInA board. EFInA is a critical market enabler that has been a key driver of financial inclusion and a champion of the unbanked. The organisation’s reports and research have been credible sources of information for key stakeholders of the economy, and I’m proud to be part of a gathering of intellectuals that are committed to steering the nation’s approach to financial inclusion in the right direction. I look forward to working closely with my fellow board members and contributing to the achievement of our goal in Nigeria and across Africa. I remain committed to our collective ambition of promoting an inclusive financial sector that serves the excluded and underserved in Africa.”

A significant portion of Aina’s venture fund (37.5%) is currently dedicated to fintech companies, aiming to increase access to financial services, credit, and digital banking solutions for underserved populations. Through these investments, Aina and his team at Ventures Platform are bridging the financial inclusion gap and reducing inequalities.

Portfolio companies like PiggyVest, Moni, Traction App, and Shekel Mobility, currently backed by Ventures Platform, serve over 4.5 million users, providing increased access to savings accounts, capital, credit histories, and financial management tools primarily for underserved, unbanked, and underbanked individuals and entrepreneurs across Africa.

Kola Aina joins other distinguished EFInA board members, including Dr. Agnes Olatokunbo Martins, former Director at the Central Bank of Nigeria; Olu Akanmu, former President and Co-CEO of OPay-Nigeria; Professor Janice Olawoye, Professor of Rural Sociology, University of Ibadan; and Saude Amina Atoyebi, former Deputy Chief of Staff (Administration) in Kaduna State Government.

EFInA continues to collaborate with experts across the public and private sectors to promote financial inclusion in Nigeria.

The organisation is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Comprising $3.2 million in equity and an additional $4 million in debt, the funding round, gives Shekel Mobility a clear path to accelerate its growth trajectory as it gears up to introduce innovative solutions in the coming months.

The funds are set to catapult Shekel Mobility’s current Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) of slightly over $2 million to four times its size. While leveraging this financial injection, Shekel Mobility prepares for its upcoming priced round, building on the momentum gained from this significant funding round.

Founded by Benjamen Oladokun and Sanmi Olukanmi, Shekel Mobility’s success builds upon its earlier achievements, including a $1.95 million pre-seed investment in January led by Ventures Platform, with participation from Y Combinator, Voltron Capital, and Zedcrest.

In the latest seed round, Ventures Platform and MaC Venture Capital co-led the investment with participation from Y Combinator, Rebel Fund, Unpopular Ventures, Maiora Capital, PageOne Lab Inc., Phoenix Investment Club, Heirloom VC, Pioneer Ventures, and various angel investors. The debt fund was facilitated by entities such as Zedvance, VFD Microfinance Bank, Zenith Bank, and Fluna, with some leveraging Shekel Mobility’s platform to finance auto dealerships.

Positioning itself as a mobility fintech, Shekel Mobility’s mission is to empower car dealers in navigating the $30 billion African used car market. The startup aims to be the go-to platform for launching and expanding car dealerships, aspiring to build the largest auto dealership ecosystem with transactions reaching $10 billion annually by 2025.

At the core of Shekel Mobility’s journey is its flagship product, Shekel Credit, offering immediate financing access to auto dealers. With credit limits extending up to $200,000 for vehicle purchases, Shekel Mobility has facilitated transactions exceeding $56 million. The unique financing model ensures a 0% default rate by overseeing the end-to-end process of buying and selling cars through dealerships.

Looking ahead, Shekel Mobility plans to introduce new offerings, including Shekel Business, designed to digitise informal trading processes within the auto dealership vertical. These tools aim to streamline sales processes, structure operations, and contribute to reducing the overall cost of owning car dealerships.

Investors recognise the potential of Shekel Mobility. Kola Aina, the founding partner at Ventures Platform, applauds the startup for creating a market-shaping innovation essential to the growth of Nigeria and Africa’s automotive industry. Marlon Nichols, Founder and Managing Partner at MaC Venture Capital, highlights Shekel Mobility’s potential to boost the African automotive sector by empowering small businesses with financing and providing affordable automobiles to local communities.