Zedvance to triple lending after disbursing N120bn to SME’s in 2025

Zedvance is pivoting its entire loan portfolio to support Nigeria's small and medium enterprises (SMEs), a move aimed at tackling the persistent financing challenges faced by the country's mid-market businesses. The company's Group Managing Director, Adedayo Amzat, announced this strategic shift, committing 100% of its active loans to SMEs and critical ecosystem enablers.

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The people gathered in this room, and the ecosystems that you all represent in one shape or form, are the true drivers of the Nigerian economy.

Amzat emphasized that these mid-sized operators are the true engines of the Nigerian economy, often struggling to access adequate financing and capital. Speaking at the Zedvance Business Roundtable, themed "Unlocking Growth: The Role of Smart Financing in Building Resilient Businesses," he highlighted the resilience of entrepreneurs navigating a difficult operational landscape. "The people gathered in this room... are the true drivers of the Nigerian economy," Amzat stated, acknowledging their daily struggles.

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I am deeply honored to be standing in front of people who are fighting day and night, tooth and nail; people who often cannot get the right sort of financing, who cannot access the adequate land capital required to execute projects, or who cannot secure enough corner shops to set up petrol stations

To mitigate credit risk in a volatile environment, Zedvance is pioneering "ecosystem-linked solutions." This approach involves structured partnerships with corporate aggregators to channel funds to smallholders in sectors like agriculture, automotive distribution, and energy. "Let's grow the pie together so that your individual portion becomes significantly larger, rather than fighting to be the sole survivor in a tiny, shrinking market," Amzat explained, illustrating the collaborative growth model.

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Let’s strip away the corporate jargon. It simply means: let’s grow the economy together. If you are in the automotive ecosystem, for example, how can we work together to make the ecosystem itself a high-performing engine? We want to grow the pie together so that your individual portion becomes significantly larger, rather than fighting to be the sole survivor in a tiny, shrinking market.

The roundtable also served as the launchpad for Zedvance's aggressive 18-month growth strategy. The company is transitioning from its previous focus on high-velocity retail consumer lending to scaling up corporate and production-focused enterprises. "Outside of our physical infrastructure... every single item on the asset side of our balance sheet consists of active loans," Amzat revealed, underscoring the company's commitment to deploying capital for business growth.

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Outside of our physical infrastructure, our computers, desks, and chairs, every single item on the asset side of our balance sheet consists of active loans.