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Nomanini

“Can an informal-retail fintech platform become the embedded banking and supply chain finance OS for Africa's cash-first MSME economy by bridging FMCG distributors, banks, and merchants?”

Founded2011
HQCape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
FoundersVahid Monadjem
Total raised$7.5M
Latest roundStrategic investment, 2019
IndustryFintech / SMB banking
The story

Founded in 2011 as a mobile technology platform for informal retail merchants in Africa, Nomanini evolved from enabling basic electronic transactions (prepaid airtime, electricity, bill payments) into a full embedded fintech platform connecting financial service providers and FMCG companies to informal MSME retailers. The company pivoted from a pure payments/distribution play to a supply chain financing and business banking enablement platform, leveraging FMCG distribution networks as a low-cost channel to reach unbanked merchants. The 2019 Standard Bank investment cemented the shift toward embedded banking and working capital deployment at scale across cash-first African markets.

Last 12 months
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Product timeline
2011
Nomanini founded in South Africa as a mobile technology platform for informal retail merchants.· pivot
2012
Began working with informal retailers across Africa, enabling electronic product sales including prepaid airtime and electricity.· banking
2019
Secured $4M strategic investment led by Standard Bank with participation from Goodwell Investments, establishing a commercial banking partnership.· banking
2019
Partnered with Nestlé and Standard Bank to provide working capital (stock advances) to informal MSME retailers across Eastern and Southern Africa.· lending
The stack
1 layer disclosed in Nomanini’s embedded-finance stack
Lending
Merchant Supply Chain Finance (stock advances)Working capital for MSME retailers
Accounting gap: none