Moneda and meCash Launch Musa to Tackle Africa’s SME Credit Gap

Access to credit has long been a stumbling block for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Africa, especially those operating in capital-intensive sectors like energy, agriculture, and mining. These businesses often face limited financing options, hampered by collateral requirements, high default risks, and regulatory complexities. In a bid to address this persistent challenge, Moneda Invest Africa and cross-border payments platform meCash have launched Musa, a new app designed to provide structured, collateral-free credit tailored to SMEs in Africa’s natural resource value chains.

Unveiled at the Moneda Experience event on March 14 in Lagos, Nigeria, the launch brought together key industry stakeholders and signaled a growing shift in how financial infrastructure is being used to support the continent’s real economy. The partnership between Moneda and meCash aims to merge sector-specific credit expertise with robust financial infrastructure, creating a platform that facilitates secure payments, transparent transactions, and compliant cross-border financing.

Musa App: A Tech-Driven, Risk-Managed Credit Solution

Unlike many fintech platforms focused on consumer lending, Musa targets SMEs executing contracts in Africa’s natural resource sectors—offering flexible financing options without the need for traditional collateral. Through the app, businesses can input contract details, funding needs, and risk assessments, which are then analyzed to determine suitable credit structures. The platform also provides a real-time dashboard that allows users to track transactions and monitor progress, introducing a layer of transparency often missing in SME financing.

A key feature of the partnership is its emphasis on risk-sharing. Rather than shifting the entire financial burden on SMEs, Moneda and meCash are adopting a model that distributes risk while maintaining financial discipline. This is particularly relevant in markets where lending has historically been hindered by fears of default and limited enforcement mechanisms.