The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has approved 22 development transactions worth nearly $3 billion in the first quarter of the year, with Nigeria named among the key beneficiaries. The funding package aims to support small businesses, enhance infrastructure, and promote sustainable development across emerging markets.
Among the most significant investments is a $20 million loan to Loinette Capital, a company providing asset financing to small and medium-sized enterprises across Sub-Saharan Africa. This funding will enable Nigerian SMEs to access essential machinery for agriculture and infrastructure development, unlocking productivity and economic opportunities.
Another major initiative includes a $15 million loan to Incofin cvso, which will strengthen agriculture-focused microfinance institutions operating across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The loan is expected to boost financing for women entrepreneurs and smallholder farmers, advancing financial inclusion and food security.
DFC is also investing in clean energy and climate resilience through a $35 million commitment to the Lendable Decarbonization Fund. The fund targets early-stage companies in sectors like renewable energy, agriculture, and transportation, promoting innovation in low-carbon solutions.
In partnership with USAID, DFC has approved a $100 million loan to FCC Securities. Through its affiliate Frontclear, the loan will improve money market liquidity in emerging economies, helping to stabilize financial systems and facilitate investment flows.
Other notable beneficiaries of the DFC’s first-quarter commitments include Ilara Health Inc. in Kenya, which received $1 million to modernize underserved clinics, and Carbon Ventures Advisors, which was granted $500,000 to implement a reforestation project in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In a strategic move tied to global food security and U.S. foreign policy, DFC has also approved up to $325 million in political risk insurance for grain infrastructure development in Ukraine.
The investments reflect DFC’s growing role in mobilizing private capital to support sustainable development and strengthen economic resilience across regions. For countries like Nigeria, the funding provides a fresh opportunity to scale up business capacity, deepen financial access, and build critical infrastructure in alignment with long-term growth goals.
