SAFI Capital

Safi Capital is an investment platform developed to expand access to appropriate, well-structured financing for enterprises operating within the aquaculture sector in Kenya’s Lake Victoria region.

The initiative responds to a persistent challenge: while demand for fish and other agricultural products continues to grow, many enterprises—particularly cooperatives and small and medium-sized businesses—lack access to financing that aligns with their production cycles, governance structures, and growth potential. As a result, viable businesses often struggle to scale, and significant opportunities for local value creation remain unrealized.

Safi Capital is designed to address this gap by deploying disciplined, context-aligned capital into enterprises engaged in fish production, aggregation, processing, and distribution. Its approach emphasizes not only access to finance, but also the strengthening of enterprise governance, financial management, and operational capacity—ensuring that capital is used effectively and sustainably.

The investment platform operates independently as Safi Capital Ltd., with full responsibility for investment decisions, portfolio management, and fiduciary oversight.

OHALA AFRICA’S ROLE

Safi Capital complements Ohala Africa’s broader efforts to strengthen the aquaculture sector in the Lake Victoria region by introducing a structured investment platform focused on enterprise growth and capital deployment.
Through its non-commercial work, Ohala Africa supports:
• Institutional strengthening
• Development of investment-ready pipelines
• Coordination across the value chain
• Partnerships with funders and service providers

These functions are delivered outside the investment platform and are funded through catalytic grant support. This ensures a clear separation between commercial investment activities and ecosystem development, while enabling more effective and disciplined deployment of capital.

LOOKING AHEAD

Over time, Safi Capital is expected to grow into a scalable investment platform capable of mobilizing larger pools of capital into aquaculture and related agricultural value chains such as rice and horticulture. By combining disciplined investment with strong institutional support, Safi Capital aims to:
• Strengthen enterprise performance and governance
• Build more integrated and reliable value chains
• Expand economic opportunity within the Lake Victoria region

Ultimately, the platform seeks to contribute to a more inclusive, commercially viable, and sustainable food system—anchored in local enterprise and supported by well-structured capital.