East Africa Foods (EAF), a Tanzania-based AgriTech company, has secured approximately $40 million in equity and debt financing to expand its physical and digital food supply chain infrastructure across East Africa and into new markets.

The financing includes a $26 million Series B equity round led by the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) through its equity investment solution, InfraCo, alongside Oikocredit and FMO, the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank. Existing investors ARAF, Goodwell, Africa Eats and FINCA also reinvested, while the Schmidt Family Foundation provided debt financing.

EKTA Partners served as the exclusive financial advisor for the transaction.

The company plans to use the capital to expand its processing, storage and logistics capacity, strengthen its digital infrastructure and extend its network to 100,000 smallholder farmers over the coming years.

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Building Infrastructure Between Farmers and Retailers

East Africa Foods operates an integrated agricultural supply chain platform connecting smallholder farmers directly with urban retailers.

The company currently sources produce from more than 28,000 registered farmers and supplies over 10,000 retailers through a network that combines aggregation, grading, storage, processing and distribution.

Its products reach consumers through brands including Onja and Golden Banana.

The business addresses a significant challenge in East African agriculture. In Kenya and Tanzania, up to 40% of food production is lost before reaching consumers, largely because of inadequate post-harvest infrastructure, including storage, transportation and distribution systems.

EAF said its integrated model already reduces food losses by approximately one-third across its network.

$40M Financing to Scale Logistics and Digital Operations

The investment will support EAF’s next growth phase, including strengthening its operations in Tanzania and expanding into Kenya.

The company will increase its physical infrastructure capacity while developing digital systems that connect farmers, operational branches and retailers.

These technologies are designed to improve supply chain coordination, product traceability, quality control and availability across its distribution network.

Founder and CEO Elia Timotheo said the region’s food losses reflect gaps in infrastructure rather than agricultural production alone. He explained that EAF has spent the past three years building the sourcing networks, logistics capabilities, storage facilities and technology needed to connect farms with urban markets.

The new financing will allow the company to expand those systems and improve their efficiency.

Supporting 100,000 Smallholder Farmers

Beyond infrastructure development, EAF plans to extend training programs focused on climate-smart agricultural practices and improve farmers’ access to formal markets.

The expansion is expected to benefit up to 100,000 smallholder farmers, approximately 45% of whom will be women.

The company aims to provide farmers with more predictable incomes and greater resilience to climate-related disruptions while helping urban retailers secure consistent access to agricultural products.

Its digital infrastructure, developed in Tanzania, is designed for deployment across additional African markets as the company expands.

Investors Back Climate-Resilient Food Systems

Claire Jarratt, PIDG Head of Investment Management for InfraCo, said the investment aligns with the group’s focus on inclusive economic development and climate-resilient infrastructure.

She highlighted EAF’s expansion into Kenya and its continued growth in Tanzania as opportunities to attract additional financing into regional food supply chains.

Oikocredit Senior Equity Officer Samuel Kibiri emphasized the importance of integrated agricultural infrastructure in reducing food losses, strengthening food security and improving smallholder incomes.

FMO’s Director of Private Equity, Peter Byrde, said EAF’s model could demonstrate the commercial viability of agricultural logistics infrastructure and encourage greater private investment in the sector.

With approximately $40 million in new financing, East Africa Foods will focus on expanding its regional operations, reducing post-harvest losses and building a scalable food distribution network connecting African farmers with growing urban markets.

Hubtel, a Ghana-based financial technology company, has partnered with Mobile Money Fintech Limited (MMFL) to support the development of emerging fintech startups and entrepreneurs through the 2026 MoMo Fintech Lab.

Under the agreement, Hubtel will serve as the Official Technology Partner for the national programme, contributing its expertise in digital payments, technology infrastructure and product development. The partnership was officially launched on August 12, 2026, at the Accra Marriott Hotel, bringing together representatives from the technology industry, financial services sector and government.

The three-month programme will operate across Accra, Kumasi and Tamale, providing participants with mentorship, hackathons and incubation opportunities designed to transform early-stage fintech concepts into commercially viable products.

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Hubtel and MMFL Launch 2026 MoMo Fintech Lab Partnership

The collaboration between Hubtel and MMFL aims to strengthen Ghana’s fintech ecosystem by providing emerging entrepreneurs with access to technical expertise and structured business development support. The MoMo Fintech Lab is designed to identify promising innovators and help them develop financial technology solutions that address market needs.

The programme will combine practical training, mentorship and incubation activities to support participants throughout the product development process. By operating across three major Ghanaian cities, the initiative aims to expand participation beyond Accra and provide opportunities for entrepreneurs in different regions.

The programme will conclude with a national Demo Day, where participating teams will have the opportunity to present their solutions to industry stakeholders. The initiative is intended to support the development of locally built financial technology products while encouraging collaboration between established companies and emerging startups.

Three-Month Programme to Support Emerging FinTech Startups

The 2026 MoMo Fintech Lab will run for three months, offering participants a structured environment to develop and refine their business ideas. The programme will feature hackathons designed to encourage participants to identify financial services challenges and develop technology-based solutions, creating opportunities for teams to work on practical applications of financial technology.

Selected innovators will also receive mentorship from experienced professionals working in financial technology and related industries. Incubation support will help participants improve their products, evaluate business models and prepare their solutions for potential market entry, supporting the transition from initial concepts to more developed business propositions.

The programme’s regional activities will take place in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs from different parts of Ghana to participate. At the conclusion of the programme, a national Demo Day will provide a platform for presenting developed products and demonstrating their commercial potential.

This approach aims to bridge the gap between early-stage innovation and the development of scalable financial technology businesses, while providing participants with access to practical guidance and industry connections.

Hubtel to Provide Technical Expertise and Product Development Support

As the Official Technology Partner, Hubtel will contribute its experience in building and operating digital payment infrastructure. The company’s involvement will focus on helping participants understand the technical and operational requirements of developing financial technology products, drawing on its experience in Ghana’s digital financial services sector.

Hubtel will also provide insights into product development and the challenges associated with scaling digital financial services. Nana Owusu-Marfo, Head of Brand and User Experience at Hubtel, highlighted the programme’s role in creating a pathway for entrepreneurs to transform ideas into scalable products.

Through its participation, Hubtel aims to share practical industry knowledge with emerging innovators and support the development of solutions that can operate within Ghana’s financial services market. The partnership also reflects the company’s interest in supporting collaboration between established fintech businesses and early-stage entrepreneurs, helping connect emerging talent with industry expertise.

Ghanaian Government Calls for Patient Capital in Technology

The programme’s launch brought together senior industry representatives and government officials, including Ghana’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George. During the event, the minister emphasized the importance of developing homegrown financial technology solutions to support Ghana’s digital economy.

He also encouraged investors to provide patient capital to technology businesses, noting that technology ventures often require different financing approaches from traditional enterprises. Early-stage fintech companies can face extended product development periods, regulatory requirements and infrastructure costs before achieving commercial scale, making access to suitable financing an important consideration.

Access to appropriate financing and industry mentorship can therefore play an important role in supporting their development. The government’s participation in the launch highlighted the programme’s alignment with Ghana’s broader efforts to encourage technology entrepreneurship and digital innovation, particularly among emerging businesses developing solutions for the local market.

MMFL Focuses on Building an Inclusive FinTech Ecosystem

Shaibu Haruna, Chief Executive Officer of Mobile Money Fintech Limited, described the MoMo Fintech Lab as part of a long-term effort to strengthen Ghana’s financial technology ecosystem. He emphasized the importance of broad participation in developing an inclusive digital economy, with the initiative aiming to create opportunities for entrepreneurs from different backgrounds and levels of experience.

By bringing together established industry players, emerging startups and public-sector stakeholders, the programme seeks to encourage collaboration across Ghana’s digital financial services sector. The partnership with Hubtel will provide participants with access to practical expertise that can support the development of products designed for local market conditions.

The programme also aims to strengthen connections between emerging innovators and the wider financial technology industry, creating opportunities for knowledge sharing and collaboration as participating teams develop their products and business models.

Supporting Ghana’s Digital Economy and Financial Inclusion

The partnership comes as Ghana continues to develop its digital financial services ecosystem, supported by mobile money adoption and growing demand for technology-based financial products. Fintech startups play a role in developing solutions for digital payments, financial access and business transactions, contributing to the expansion of technology-enabled financial services.

However, early-stage entrepreneurs often face challenges accessing technical resources, experienced mentors and structured product development support. The MoMo Fintech Lab aims to address these barriers through a programme combining practical innovation activities with industry guidance, helping participants develop solutions that respond to market requirements.

Hubtel’s involvement will help connect participants with knowledge gained from developing and operating financial technology services in Ghana. By supporting entrepreneurs across Accra, Kumasi and Tamale, the initiative seeks to encourage broader participation in the country’s fintech industry and create opportunities for innovators outside the capital.

The collaboration between Hubtel and MMFL represents an effort to strengthen Ghana’s startup ecosystem and support the development of locally built financial technology products. Through its three-month programme, the 2026 MoMo Fintech Lab will provide emerging innovators with opportunities to develop their ideas, improve their technical capabilities and prepare solutions for potential commercial deployment.

Cold Solutions Rwanda, a Rwandan cold-chain infrastructure company, has secured a senior debt facility of up to $18 million from the Africa Go Green Fund (AGG), managed by Cygnum Capital, to develop a new temperature-controlled storage facility in Kigali.

The financing will cover construction and working capital requirements for the greenfield facility in the Kigali Prime Economic Zone, expanding the company’s capacity to provide cold storage and logistics services for agricultural producers, processors and exporters. The facility will initially accommodate 4,000 pallets, with infrastructure designed to support future expansion to 8,000 pallets.

Cold Solutions Rwanda operates under the ARCH Cold Chain Solutions East Africa Fund, an investment platform developing temperature-controlled storage, processing and logistics infrastructure across the region.

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Cold Solutions Rwanda Secures $18M for Kigali Facility

The financing marks a significant step in Cold Solutions Rwanda’s plans to expand its temperature-controlled logistics infrastructure. The new facility will be developed in the Kigali Prime Economic Zone, where the company already operates a packhouse and avocado processing lines, allowing the project to build on its existing agricultural infrastructure.

The project will integrate cold storage with existing agricultural handling, processing and refrigerated logistics services, creating a more comprehensive supply chain infrastructure platform. The initial 4,000-pallet capacity is expected to support growing demand for temperature-controlled storage, while the planned expansion to 8,000 pallets will provide additional capacity as the business scales.

The senior debt facility will also support working capital needs associated with the company’s expanding operations, providing resources for both infrastructure development and the operational requirements of its integrated cold-chain services.

Integrating Cold Storage With Agricultural Processing

Cold Solutions Rwanda’s existing operations include a temperature-controlled packhouse and avocado processing infrastructure serving agricultural producers. The new facility will complement these operations by increasing storage capacity and strengthening connections between processing, handling and distribution, allowing the company to offer a more integrated range of cold-chain services.

The integrated model is designed to help farmers, processors and exporters maintain product quality throughout the agricultural supply chain. By combining cold storage with existing processing capabilities, the company aims to reduce logistical fragmentation and improve the movement of perishable products from farms to domestic and international markets.

Suki Muia, Investment Director at ARCH, described the financing as an important milestone for the company’s development in Rwanda. Muia highlighted the role of the existing packhouse and avocado processing operations in supporting farmers and exporters, noting that the additional cold-storage capacity will strengthen the infrastructure connecting agricultural production with final markets.

ARCH has also developed a cold-chain facility in Tatu City, Kenya, which the company considers a model for its regional infrastructure strategy. The Rwanda project builds on this experience by combining storage, processing and logistics capabilities within a single infrastructure platform.

Addressing Rwanda’s Cold-Chain Infrastructure Gap

Rwanda’s agricultural and food-processing sectors require reliable storage and transportation systems to maintain the quality of perishable products. Insufficient cold-storage capacity can contribute to post-harvest losses, shorter product shelf life and additional costs for agricultural businesses, particularly those handling temperature-sensitive goods.

These challenges can be especially significant for producers and exporters supplying markets that require consistent product quality and temperature control. Cold Solutions Rwanda’s planned facility aims to address these constraints by expanding access to modern refrigerated infrastructure and strengthening the services available to agricultural businesses.

The project is expected to improve storage availability, support more efficient agricultural distribution and help producers meet the requirements of regional and international markets. It will also provide additional infrastructure for food-processing businesses seeking to increase production and expand their distribution networks, supporting the movement of agricultural products through different stages of the supply chain.

Africa Go Green Fund Backs Climate-Resilient Logistics

The Africa Go Green Fund’s investment reflects its focus on infrastructure projects that address economic constraints while supporting climate-related development objectives. Laurène Aigrain, Managing Director at AGG, said the financing aligns with the fund’s strategy of supporting infrastructure that delivers measurable climate benefits alongside economic growth.

The project is intended to help reduce agricultural product losses, improve supply chain efficiency and strengthen the resilience of Rwanda’s food distribution systems. By expanding temperature-controlled storage capacity, Cold Solutions Rwanda aims to improve the preservation of perishable goods and support more efficient use of agricultural production.

The investment also highlights the role of private capital in developing logistics infrastructure that supports food security, agricultural processing and export activities. Through the new facility, the company aims to provide additional storage and handling capacity for businesses operating across Rwanda’s agricultural supply chain.

Expanding ARCH’s East African Cold-Chain Network

Cold Solutions Rwanda forms part of ARCH Cold Chain Solutions East Africa Fund’s broader investment strategy to develop temperature-controlled infrastructure across the region. The company’s planned facility builds on ARCH’s experience in Kenya, where it has developed cold-chain infrastructure in Tatu City, providing a regional reference for its integrated storage and logistics model.

The Rwanda expansion will combine new storage capacity with existing packhouse and avocado processing operations, strengthening the company’s ability to provide integrated services to agricultural producers, processors and exporters. With financial close completed, Cold Solutions Rwanda will move forward with construction and operational development of the new facility.

The project will initially provide 4,000 pallets of storage capacity, with the potential to double that figure as demand increases. This phased approach is intended to support the company’s expansion while allowing additional capacity to be developed in response to market requirements.

Once developed, the infrastructure is intended to support Rwanda’s agricultural supply chain by connecting production, processing, storage and distribution through a more integrated temperature-controlled logistics network, while contributing to ARCH’s broader cold-chain infrastructure strategy across East Africa.