Lagos, Nigeria (September 7, 2026) – The Africa Ecosystem Catalysts Facility, a USD 4M pilot investment facility managed by Village Capital with funding from (FMO) the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), has announced its first investments in Nigeria, deploying USD 450K in Trade Lenda and AirSmat, bringing its total investments to seven companies across Ghana and Nigeria.
The Facility works in partnership with local ecosystem partners, whose proximity to founders and market insight help identify high-potential early-stage companies often overlooked by traditional investors. The Facility then provides flexible, fit-for-purpose financing to support these startups as they tackle systemic barriers to economic mobility and climate resilience across Africa.
The first investment is in Trade Lenda, a digital financial services platform expanding access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises through digital business loans, embedded finance solutions, and Sharia-compliant financing products. The Facility is investing USD 300K to support the company’s continued growth.
Since its launch, the startup has supported more than 260,000 SMEs and farmers across five of Nigeria's six geopolitical zones, with 66% of its customers women.
“The capital has enabled us to accelerate our growth, acquire a higher license, and attract more competitive funding,” said Adeshina Adewumi, Co-Founder and CEO at Trade Lenda. “Following the investment, we secured an additional USD 2M in local debt facilities at lower rates, allowing us to expand lending while reducing our cost of capital. As we continue to secure more affordable financing, we're able to pass those savings on to the SMEs and entrepreneurs we serve across Nigeria and Africa.”
The second investment is in AirSmat, a climate technology company transforming agricultural waste into biochar-based fertilizer that converts agricultural waste into a carbon-removing solution while improving soil health, increasing agricultural productivity, and creating new income opportunities for farmers through carbon markets.
“Access to capital structured around the realities of building a climate-tech company has been transformative for AirSmat,” said Soji Sanyaolu, Founder and CEO at AirSmat. “The investment will be used to complete and commission our commercial biochar-based fertilizer factory, and scale our commercial operations. It will also strengthen our manufacturing capacity, expand market access, and accelerate the delivery of climate-smart agricultural solutions that improve soil health, increase farmer productivity, and create sustainable livelihoods.”
“What stands out about these startups is how they're strengthening the systems that businesses and farmers rely on to grow,” said Husein Merchant, Investment Officer at Village Capital. “Trade Lenda is expanding access to finance for hundreds of thousands of SMEs and farmers, while AirSmat is transforming agricultural waste into productive inputs that strengthen food systems and improve farmer livelihoods. Both companies are deeply rooted in the realities of their markets, and our role is to make sure they have access to the right capital to grow their impact.”
Africa Fintech Foundry was among the local players that played a key role in sourcing the Facility’s first investments in Nigeria, leveraging its local market expertise and founder network to identify high-potential startups for investments. “We don't often see investors partnering so intentionally with local ecosystem organizations, and that's what makes this Facility different,” shared Carolina Gideon-Krama, Venture Analyst at Africa Fintech Foundry. “Because we're deeply embedded in Nigeria's startup ecosystem, we're able to identify founders with strong potential long before they're on the radar of traditional investors. We're proud to have worked with Village Capital to identify both Trade Lenda and AirSmat for investment and to help connect them with financing designed for their stage of growth.”
With these investments, the Facility has now invested in seven startups across Ghana and Nigeria. Additional investments are planned in Nigeria and Tanzania.
About the Africa Ecosystem Catalysts Facility
The Africa Ecosystem Catalysts Facility is a USD 4M investment facility designed to unlock early-stage capital for startups in Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania that are advancing climate resilience and economic mobility. Managed by Village Capital, the Facility pioneers a locally-led investment model by partnering with in-market Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs). These local partners help identify strong founder teams, shape investment pipelines, and advise on due diligence, ensuring capital is invested where it has the greatest local impact and fit-for-purpose.
The Facility is backed by (FMO) the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank, and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), two leading institutions championing inclusive, sustainable development through entrepreneurship. As a leading impact investor, FMO supports sustainable private sector growth in emerging markets, while RVO executes and implements programmes that strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems and improve access to early-stage finance, including Orange Corners and the Orange Corners Innovation Fund (OCIF).