TriLinc Global Impact Fund has recently approved $16.75m in trade finance transactions in companies operating in Sub-Saharan Africa.

TriLinc is an impact investing fund that provides growth-stage loans and trade finance to established small and medium enterprises in developing economies where access to affordable capital is significantly limited.

On March 1, 2016, TriLinc funded $316,370 to an agricultural supplies distributor in South Africa as part of an existing $10m senior secured trade finance facility at an interest rate of 10.38%.

Set to mature on May 30, 2016, the transaction is secured by specific product inventory.

The borrower anticipates that TriLinc’s financing will support employment generation.

On March 1, 2016, TriLinc also funded $10m as part of a new $10m senior secured trade finance facility to a Singaporean agricultural products exporter operating in Sub-Saharan Africa.

With an interest rate of 11.50% and a maturity date of April 1, 2016, the transaction is secured by specific product inventory warehoused by the borrower in Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique.

On March 18, 2016, TriLinc funded $6m as part of a new $7m senior secured equipment purchase facility with a Ghanaian power producer.

With an interest rate of 11.50% and a maturity date of March 10, 2017, this transaction is secured by a letter of credit and the underlying equipment being financed by the company.

The borrower anticipates that TriLinc’s financing will support increased access to energy for end-users in Ghana and will contribute to reducing the demand pressures and blackout frequency that currently burdens the country’s electric grid.

On March 29, 2016, TriLinc funded $438,075 as part of an existing $11m revolving senior secured trade finance facility with a South African electronics company that assembles affordable cellular phones and televisions.

With a fixed interest rate of 13.00%, the transaction is set to mature on July 27, 2016 and is secured by receivables as well as specific inventory being imported into South Africa from Asia.

The borrower anticipates that TriLinc financing will support job creation and increase the volume of affordable devices in the region.

Gloria Nelund, TriLinc CEO, said: “TriLinc’s recent investments in Sub-Saharan Africa underscore our commitment in supporting improvements to infrastructure development, access to technology, and agricultural productivity throughout the region.”

“From increasing access to power generation equipment to improving the availability of affordable technology for low and middle-income customer segments, TriLinc’s timely and flexible financing is playing an important role in the successful development and competitiveness of the region’s burgeoning SME segment,” she said.