CreditChek, a Nigerian credit data infrastructure and financial intelligence company, has raised $600,000 to enter East Africa, betting that lenders across the region need better tools to assess borrowers and reduce default risk.
The round was led by Janngo Capital, with participation from existing investor Assembly Investors and new investors Vastly Valuable Ventures and Unipeg Capital. The company plans to launch in Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda, its first expansion outside Nigeria.
The move comes as African lenders struggle to find the balance between financial inclusion and credit risk management. Africa’s micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) face a funding gap estimated at over $330 billion, according to development finance estimates, while limited credit histories and fragmented financial data continue to constrain lending.
CreditChek is positioning itself as part of the infrastructure layer designed to solve that problem. The startup provides lenders with credit intelligence, income verification, and risk-assessment tools that help determine a borrower’s ability and willingness to repay.
“We’re building the data infrastructure that allows lenders to access richer, more reliable insights,” said Kingsley Ibe, co-founder and chief executive of CreditChek. This funding allows us to scale our infrastructure and partnerships in East Africa, bringing us closer to a future where credit decisions are faster, more inclusive, and more reliable.”
