The Export Development Fund (EDF) has disbursed funding worth K82.96 billion to businesses between 2014 and 2022. This funding has gone towards support of various transformative export-oriented transactions and infrastructural projects.
According to the recently released integrated report, EDF made the funding available to about 98 of customers within the last ten years. Through this support the institution has contributed to the creation of over 25,000 jobs and saving at least 14,000 jobs.
EDF has been instrumental in promoting and enhancing the export capabilities of Malawi through provision of various financial and non-financial support services to businesses.
Managing Director for EDF, Fredrick Chanza said:
‘Since we started our operations over 10 years ago, we have expanded on our mandate to cover critical areas that support the national transformation agenda. We have grown from only focusing on financing downstream export transactions to investing in upstreaming interventions, such as project preparation, infrastructure finance and support to trade-related logistics. Up to date we have disbursed funding close to K82.96 billion to businesses. Out of which, K10 billion went towards supporting SMEs, about K2 billion supported youth-led businesses, and we also approved transactions worth about K765 million for women-led business.’
‘Currently, we are in the process of facilitating strategic export enhancing initiatives, such as industrial parks, mining, and export trading companies, which will crowd in investments of over US$1 billion within the next two to three years. We remain committed to providing financial solutions that will help to accelerate structural transformation in Malawi,’ said Chanza.
As a development finance institution, EDF provides several financing solutions to businesses in the form of debt/equity, quasi-equity, guarantees, trade finance, bridging finance and venture capital and project preparation services. These financial solutions are aimed at stimulating the country’s productive potential and supporting the development, facilitation, expansion and promotion of exports and cross border trade, while at the same time encouraging value addition to local products.