Kayode Tokede
The Group Managing Director of Zedcrest, parent company of Zedvance, Adedayo Amzat, has announced a strategic shift in the firm’s asset deployment, committing 100 per cent of its active loan portfolio to small and medium enterprises and critical ecosystem enablers.
This is in a major move to address the financing constraints plaguing Nigeria’s mid-market enterprises.
Amzat made this disclosure at the Zedvance Business Roundtable themed, “Unlocking Growth: The Role of Smart Financing in Building Resilient Businesses.” The high-profile event brought together business leaders, industry professionals, and key economic stakeholders to explore how sector-specific financing and innovative lending can drive sustainable business growth in Nigeria’s evolving macroeconomic landscape.
Addressing the gathering during his keynote, Amzat emphasized that while public attention is often captured by massive corporate initial pu
blic offerings (IPOs), the true engine of the nation’s economic survival rests on the shoulders of mid-sized operators.
“The people gathered in this room, and the ecosystems that you all represent in one shape or form, are the true drivers of the Nigerian economy,” Amzat declared, highlighting the resilience of entrepreneurs navigating a challenging operational terrain.
“I am deeply honored to be standing in front of people who are fighting day and night, tooth and nail; people who often cannot get the right sort of financing, who cannot access the adequate land capital required to execute projects, or who cannot secure enough corner shops to set up petrol stations,” he added.
Addressing the historical challenges of managing credit risk in a volatile environment, the GMD explained that Zedvance is pioneering “ecosystem-linked solutions.” This model leverages structured partnerships with corporate aggregators to safely funnel liquidity to clustered smallholders in sectors like agriculture, automotive distribution, and energy,” Amzat explained.
Also speaking, Executive Director, Commercial Solutions, Zedvance Finance, Ayooluwa Oladimeji, noted that , “Over the next 18 months, his firm will be deploying ₦500 billion to deepen their support for growth-ready enterprises. A business loan enables an enterprise to scale production, hire 100 more individuals, and distribute more goods, multiplying the macroeconomic impact a hundredfold compared to a single consumer loan,” he said.