EHA Impact Ventures (EIV) has announced a $50,000 investment in Mainstream Lime-Light Limited, the company behind Ma’Zaine Foods, to expand food-processing operations in Kebbi State and support the planned production of ready-to-use therapeutic food for children experiencing severe acute malnutrition.

The investment will finance equipment for the women-led company’s existing product lines and help establish additional manufacturing capacity at its facility in Birnin Kebbi.

EIV, a gender-focused impact investment firm operating under the EHA Group, said the funding was intended to improve access to locally manufactured nutrition products while supporting enterprise development and employment opportunities in northern Nigeria.

The announcement was made during a facility tour and investment event attended by representatives of the Kebbi State Ministry of Health and the Kebbi State Investment Promotion Agency (KIPA).

The investment comes amid continuing concerns over childhood malnutrition and the need to strengthen local food production and nutrition services in vulnerable communities.

According to EIV, part of the funding will support Ma’Zaine Foods’ plans to begin manufacturing ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), a specialised product used in the treatment of severe acute malnutrition in children.

RUTF is designed to provide concentrated energy and essential nutrients as part of the clinical management of eligible children with severe acute malnutrition.

Unlike ordinary complementary foods, therapeutic food must meet specific nutritional composition, manufacturing, safety and quality standards.

Ma’Zaine Foods currently produces a range of processed food products, including Tom Brown cereal, date powder, sweet potato flour, baobab fruit powder, finger millet flour and date seed coffee.

The company markets its products to different consumer groups, including families with young children and breastfeeding mothers.

It also provides food-processing training and contract manufacturing services for other businesses.

The proposed addition of therapeutic food production would represent an expansion into a more specialised segment of the nutrition market.

EIV said the $50,000 investment was structured as a convertible revenue-based loan.

Under this form of financing, repayments are generally linked to business revenue, while conversion provisions may allow the financing arrangement to change under agreed conditions.

The firm said the structure was designed to provide growth capital without placing the same fixed repayment demands on the business as a conventional loan.

It added that the arrangement would support the recycling of investment capital into other women-led enterprises.

The specific repayment terms, conversion conditions and duration of the facility were not disclosed.

Beyond the financial commitment, EIV said Ma’Zaine Foods would receive technical assistance, strategic guidance and communications support to strengthen its operations and growth plans.

The investment firm described the approach as part of its effort to provide entrepreneurs with business support alongside funding.

The investment is being made against the backdrop of persistent nutrition challenges affecting children in several parts of Nigeria.

According to UNICEF estimates, approximately two million children in the country experience severe acute malnutrition, with northern states accounting for a significant share of the burden.

Severe acute malnutrition is a serious medical condition associated with an increased risk of illness and death, particularly where affected children do not receive timely and appropriate treatment.

Expanding access to treatment requires more than increasing food production. It also depends on screening, healthcare delivery, trained personnel, reliable supply chains and access to approved therapeutic products.

Local manufacturing could contribute to these efforts by strengthening supply availability, although its effectiveness would depend on production standards, affordability, distribution and integration with appropriate health programmes.

For Kebbi State, the proposed expansion also presents an opportunity to examine how small and medium-sized food-processing businesses can contribute to local supply chains and economic activity.

Chief Executive Officer of EHA Impact Ventures, Evelyn Castle, said the investment reflected the firm’s interest in supporting women who develop businesses around challenges experienced in their communities.

“At EIV, we invest in women entrepreneurs who are building solutions to challenges they understand deeply because they live and work in the communities they serve,” Castle said.

She noted that improving nutrition remained an important priority across northern Nigeria and that locally based producers could contribute to expanding access to relevant food products.

“Nutrition remains a significant challenge across northern Nigeria, and we have seen growing efforts to expand access to locally produced nutrition products that can improve health outcomes for children and families,” she said.

“Ma’Zaine Foods is part of that solution. By producing nutritious foods locally and creating economic opportunities close to home, the company is strengthening both community health and local livelihoods. We are proud to support Maryam and her team as they grow their impact.”

Castle’s remarks highlighted the relationship between investment in women-owned enterprises and broader efforts to strengthen community livelihoods.

The investment also reflects growing interest in financing businesses whose products and services address social needs while generating commercial revenue.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ma’Zaine Foods, Maryam Yakubu, said the funding would help the company expand its operations and reach more customers.

“Our mission has always been to make nutritious foods more accessible and affordable for families,” Yakubu said.

“This investment will help us expand production capacity, allowing us to reach more customers, create more opportunities locally, and continue delivering products that support healthier lives.”

For businesses operating outside Nigeria’s largest commercial centres, access to appropriately structured capital can be important in supporting expansion and improving production capabilities.

EIV said the transaction formed part of its wider commitment to financing women-led African businesses working in sectors connected to health, livelihoods and essential services.

The firm maintained that its investment approach was intended to support enterprises capable of generating commercial activity while addressing identified community needs.

For Ma’Zaine Foods, the immediate priority will be to translate the funding into additional production capacity and operational improvements.

Its proposed move into therapeutic food manufacturing will also require attention to product standards, regulatory requirements and appropriate distribution arrangements.

The success of the expansion will ultimately depend on whether the company can increase output, maintain consistent product quality and make its products accessible to intended customers.

As Nigeria seeks to address childhood malnutrition and strengthen domestic food production, the investment places attention on the potential role of locally established manufacturers in supporting nutrition supply chains.

It also highlights the importance of combining enterprise financing with technical support and effective regulation, particularly where products are intended for vulnerable populations.