Kenyan Fintech Zanifu Raises Funding From Yango Ventures For SME Lending Play

Kenyan fintech Zanifu has secured new investment from Yango Ventures, the USD 20 M venture capital arm of global tech group Yango. While the amount was not disclosed, Yango Ventures said the funding will provide both capital and strategic support to accelerate Zanifu’s growth across Africa.

Founded in 2018 by Steve Biko and Sebastian Mithika, Zanifu operates a digital lending platform that provides small retailers—often excluded from traditional banking—quick access to working capital loans of up to USD 2 K, repayable through business revenue.

The fintech, which previously raised USD 11.2 M in a pre-Series A round in 2023 and USD 1 M in seed the year prior, has already disbursed over USD 60 M in loans to more than 15,000 SMEs and recently turned profitable, underscoring the viability of its model in a challenging credit environment.

Notably, this deal marks Yango Ventures’ second major investment in Kenya this year, following its debut deal in July when it backed Kenyan mobility startup BuuPass.

For Yango Ventures, launched in 2025, the move aligns with its focus on fintech, e-commerce, and B2B SaaS.