Swedfund, Sweden’s development finance institution, has invested USD 10 million in Inside Equity Fund II, aiming to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with impactful and innovative solutions in Zambia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique.
Swedfund invests USD 30 million in Access Bank Nigeria Plc to reach underserved MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) at scale. By providing long-term capital and capacity building to unbanked and under-banked companies in Nigeria, the investment is expected to support sustainable private sector development and inclusive growth.
To help cities in Africa adapt to the effects of climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Swedfund has invested EUR 30 million in The Urban Resilience Fund (TURF).
Swedfund, Sweden's development finance institution, has announced an equity investment of USD 10 million in Xurya, an innovative Indonesian solar rooftop company. Xurya enables commercial and industrial companies across the country to adopt solar power with no upfront costs, displacing fossil fuel-based power generation.
The limited access to credit for micro-entrepreneurs has been further worsened by the pandemic. At the same time, they are the second biggest employers in India and contribute to about 30% of the country’s GDP. Against that background the Swedish development finance institution, Swedfund, invests 20 MUSD in a long-term, senior unsecured loan to Five-Star Business Finance Limited (Five-Star).
Healthcare infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa is insufficient to meet the healthcare needs of its 1.1 billion population. Swedfund now commits EUR 5M in debt funding to Medical Credit Fund II, a fund that provides financing to small and medium-sized enterprises within the health sector in Sub-Saharan Africa.
@FMO @CDC Group #Swedfund and @IFC investing in Nepal-focused Dolma Impact Fund II. The timing is important as COVID cases rise in Nepal, following the trend in India. Dolma II’s target sectors will address capacity constraints in healthcare and enable digital solutions to scale rapidly.
Today Swedfund announces an investment of USD 10m in African Rivers Fund 3 (ARF 3), together with IFC, FMO, BIO and DGGF. African Rivers Fund 3 will primarily provide loan financing to small and medium-sized companies in DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), Uganda and Angola.
![A child in Kenya is reading in the light from off-grid solar energy. SunFunder borrower [M-KOPA], Kenya.](https://mnd-assets.mynewsdesk.com/image/upload/ar_16:9,c_fill,dpr_auto,f_auto,g_auto,q_auto:good,w_746/garcgbwjxua1ymczyskt)
Swedfund, the Swedish Development Finance Institution, commits USD 12m to the Solar Energy Transformation Fund managed by SunFunder. The investment will contribute to increased access to electricity, as well as the increased generation of renewable energy for exposed demographics in the least developed countries in the world according to the OECD DAC list. The investment is in line with Swedfund’s
Swedfund commits 15 million dollars to Metier Sustainable Capital II, a fund focused on renewable energy in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to investments in renewable energy, the fund will also invest in projects for resource efficiency in areas such as water and waste management.
We have focused our efforts in the sectors deemed best able to achieve development, which is in line with our mission. Where we have the greatest opportunity to generate benefits depends on a number of factors, such as experience in the sector and where we can best achieve results in equality, the environment and the creation of jobs.
Sustainable energy for all is an explicit goal in Agenda 2030. It is also a prioritised sector for Swedfund’s investments. Electrification drives development, and is essential for jobcreation and combating poverty.
Financing for sustainable development can come from several sources; aid, private capital, domestic tax-based financing and from development finance institutions. The sources of finance can be regarded as different, but complimentary, tools in the fight for sustainable development. Here we explain about the tools, focusing on what the development finance institution achieves.
Swedfund, Sweden’s development finance institution, invests 13 MUSD in the fund Frontier Energy II. The fund focuses on small and medium-sized renewable energy projects, primarily in East Africa.
On Tuesday Swedfund MD Anna Ryott will moderate the first part of the roundtable discussion on how innovative partnerships can drive the fulfilment of SDG 9 and SDG 11. The meeting is organised by the Swedish Embassy in Paris, Scania and Business Sweden.
The development financier Swedfund and the industry group DBL establish a textile factory in Mekelle, Ethiopia, which will provide job opportunities for 4,000 people. H&M will be a long time buyer and support with expert knowledge in sustainable textile production.
This post by MD Anna Ryott is part of the UN Foundations blog series, “Her Goals: Our Future,” which highlights the connections between girls and women and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Swedfund invests MUSD 5 through a loan in Acleda Bank, a bank with strong focus on social and economic development. The loan enables the Bank's continued expansion in rural areas and thus contributes to increased employment and development of domestic production.
Swedfund invests MUSD 5 in Tanzanian National Microfinance Bank (NMB) through a syndicated loan led by the Dutch Development Bank FMO. The funds will primarily be used for on-lending to small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) and corporate borrowers, thereby contributing to job creation in Tanzania.
Swedfund, is selling its stake in the Kenyan insurance company UAP. The sale, to Old Mutual, entails a capital gain exceeding SEK 160 million for Swedfund. ”In only three years we have succeeded in achieving Swedfund’s primary targets for the business. We have realized substantial value, created employment opportunities and fair employment conditions,” states Anna Ryott, MD at Swedfund.