UK trade finance provider Zvilo has launched operations in South Africa. The company plans to provide an initial ZAR 2 billion in working capital to small and medium-sized enterprises. It aims to increase that deployment to ZAR 10 billion within three to five years.
Supply chain funding
Zvilo will distribute the capital through local supply chains. The initial ZAR 2 billion is aligned with anchor buyers listed on the JSE. South Africa has an estimated ZAR 350 billion SME financing gap.
Track record in Europe
Zvilo had disbursed more than €440 million to SMEs by the end of the third quarter of 2026. That amount equals approximately ZAR 8.1 billion across 41 markets in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Founder and group CEO Admir Imami said limited access to finance still constrains SME growth.
Local leadership
Peter Maila will serve as CEO of Zvilo Africa. Palesa Mabasa and Shiko Mbambu will lead Zvilo South Africa as managing partners. The company sees South Africa as a potential base for expansion into other African markets.
Zvilo plans to combine its capital with a technology platform. The platform is meant to improve access to working capital for local businesses. It will support companies at different stages of the value chain.
Read more: Bloomberg