Winich Farms raises extension round from DisrupTech Ventures  

Nigerian agri-tech startup, Winich Farms, has secured a six-figure extension round led by Egypt-based DisrupTech Ventures, marking the firm’s first-ever investment in Sub-Saharan Africa. This strategic investment underscores the rising confidence in agri-fintech models, bridging the gaps between smallholder farmers and financial services.

Founded in 2018 by Riches Attai and David Osafaye, Winich Farms operates a vertically integrated platform that links farmers directly to buyers, while streamlining logistics, payments, and financial access. The startup has built a robust on-ground infrastructure with over 180,000 smallholder farmers onboarded across 29 of Nigeria’s 36 states. Winich has also established four regional fulfilment centres in Benue, Taraba, Kwara, and Kebbi States to support aggregation, quality control, and last-mile distribution. Through its digital platform, the company now facilitates over ₦3.7 billion (~$2.2 million) in monthly transactions, with a cumulative gross merchandise volume (GMV) exceeding $30 million.

The investment by DisrupTech Ventures comes at a time when Winich is evolving beyond logistics into embedded financial services for farmers. In late 2024, the company launched “Winich Cards,” smart digital identities linked to Nigeria’s BVN (Bank Verification Number) system. These cards are designed to capture transaction history and credit behaviour for farmers, enabling future access to loans, savings, and insurance. From a starting base of 5,000 cards, the rollout has surged to 60,000 within just seven months, creating the financial data infrastructure needed for scalable agri-fintech solutions.

This new funding extends Winich’s pre-Series A round of $3 million, which was backed by a combination of impact-driven investors, including Acumen Resilient Agriculture Fund (ARAF), Climate Resilient Africa Fund, Sahel Capital, Heifer International, and other climate-aligned funds. The latest injection from DisrupTech adds critical fintech expertise to the board. DisrupTech is led by seasoned operators such as Mohamed Okasha, co-founder of Egypt’s fintech unicorn Fawry, who brings experience in scaling inclusive financial services across emerging markets.

Speaking on the development, Winich CEO Riches Attai noted that conversations with DisrupTech began two years ago but solidified only after the fintech layer was fully integrated into the company’s roadmap. He emphasised that what began as a logistics optimisation platform is now evolving into a digital financial ecosystem for rural food producers. With DisrupTech and Sahel Capital now on the board, Winich is positioned to build financial products that respond directly to the needs of Nigeria’s underserved agricultural communities.

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This partnership also reflects a broader shift in African venture capital trends. North African investors like DisrupTech are increasingly seeking exposure to Sub-Saharan markets, especially in sectors like food security, informal finance, and agricultural resilience. For Nigeria, where inflation, naira volatility, and fuel subsidy removal have stressed rural livelihoods, platforms like Winich are emerging as critical lifelines providing both market access and financial inclusion at scale.

Looking ahead, Winich Farms plans to deepen its financial services, launch tailored credit and insurance products, and explore exports to the Middle East and North African (MENA) region. The company is also in talks with regional agricultural agencies like the Kwara Agricultural Development Authority (KARDA) to expand collaboration and drive adoption of digital tools among rural cooperatives.