Prepare the business. Structure the capital. Execute the next stage.

The first question is not “Who will fund us?”

The first question is whether the business has a clear purpose for capital, a credible commercial model, reliable information, appropriate governance, a repayment or return logic and management capacity to execute. Some businesses need growth decisions before funding. Others need preparation before a formal transaction can begin.

Improve commercial performance

Identify the customer, offer, channel, pricing, capacity or execution issues that should be fixed before seeking more capital.

Define the funding requirement

Clarify the amount, currency, timing, use of proceeds and measurable outcome the capital must support.

Strengthen capital readiness

Improve the model, evidence, governance, data room and management narrative so the case can withstand diligence.

Evaluate capital structure

Consider debt, equity, hybrid or staged options against cash flows, ownership, risk, approvals and market conditions.

Execute a suitable transaction

Where sufficiently prepared, enter a separately accepted issuing-house or capital-markets process with defined roles and approvals.

Govern cash and surplus capital

Separate operating liquidity, contingencies and investable surplus before considering a treasury or institutional mandate.

Start with the decision your management team must make now.

PREPARE - Prepare for Capital

Use this route when the business case, financial model, governance, evidence, data room or management readiness needs strengthening. First step: Book a Capital Readiness Diagnostic.

RAISE - Raise Capital

Use this route when a sufficiently prepared issuer or sponsor is evaluating debt, equity, hybrid capital, private placement or another approved transaction route. First step: Discuss a Capital Requirement.

GROW - Enter or Grow

Use this route when the priority is revenue, market, customer, channel, partner or implementation performance. First step: Request a Growth Strategy Sprint or Market Entry Diagnostic.

INVEST - Manage Business Capital

Use this route when the business has material cash, reserves or surplus capital requiring liquidity, governance and reporting discipline. First step: Request a Treasury & Liquidity Review.

Preparation and transaction execution are connected - but they are not the same mandate.

Question Prepare for Capital Raise Capital
Primary Decision Can the business and funding case withstand lender or investor diligence? Is there an appropriate, executable capital-markets route for a sufficiently prepared issuer?
Responsible Company NCDF Commercial Services Limited NCDF Securities Limited
Typical Work Diagnostics, model and assumptions, data room, governance, evidence and management preparation. Structure, professional parties, documentation, approvals, offer or placement process and transaction coordination.
Initial Output Readiness summary, priority gaps, information requirements and preparation sequence. Indicative structure and process, mandate requirements, diligence needs and execution dependencies.
Important Limitation Readiness work does not guarantee funding or acceptance of a Securities mandate. Mandate acceptance does not guarantee investor demand, pricing, placement or transaction completion.

Begin with a defined decision, not an open-ended assignment.

Capital Readiness Diagnostic

Review the funding need, business case, financial information, governance, evidence and management readiness. Output: gaps, risks and preparation sequence.

Transaction Scoping & Capital Structure Review

For a sufficiently prepared issuer evaluating structure, professional parties, approval dependencies, timing and a possible separate Securities mandate.

Growth Strategy Sprint

Diagnose performance, make explicit growth choices and convert priorities into owners, milestones, KPIs and a 90-day execution plan.

Nigeria Market Entry Diagnostic

Test customer demand, route to market, partner options, economics, regulatory dependencies and phased implementation before committing resources.

Institutional Treasury & Liquidity Review

Segment operating cash, contingencies and investable surplus; examine risk, governance, counterparties and reporting before a mandate discussion.

Implementation Support Scoping

Where a strategy or transaction decision is already approved, define workstreams, owners, milestones, dependencies and management reporting.

One enquiry. One readiness decision. One accountable next action.

  1. Clarify the business decision. Define the commercial objective, funding need, use of proceeds, timing, authority and intended outcome.

  2. Assess stage and readiness. Determine whether the immediate need is preparation, transaction, growth, market entry, treasury or implementation.

  3. Assign the responsible company. Route the enquiry to NCDF Commercial Services, NCDF Securities, NCDF Investment Management or a sequenced pathway with separate responsibilities.

  4. Scope the engagement. The responsible company confirms information requirements, fees, deliverables, timetable, approvals, professional parties and reporting before work begins.

  5. Execute, report and advance. Complete the agreed work and identify the next appropriate action without obscuring entity-level accountability.

A clear first description is more useful than an unstructured document upload.

Legal name, country of incorporation, sector, ownership at a high level and the authorised sponsor.

  • The business decision, funding or growth objective and why it matters now.
  • Indicative amount, currency, timing and use of proceeds where capital is involved.
  • Current stage: exploring, strategy/model in development, financial information available, data room partly ready, approvals obtained or process underway.
  • A high-level summary of revenue model, operating history, financial information and key assumptions.
  • Existing debt, security, investors, advisers, approvals or transaction discussions at a proportionate level.
  • The management team available to provide information, make decisions and own execution.

After qualification, the responsible company may request financial statements, model, business plan, ownership records, board approvals, contracts, data-room index and other diligence material through a secure route.

The pathway is coordinated; each mandate remains distinct.

NCDF Commercial Services Limited

NCDF Securities Limited

NCDF Investment Management Plc

NCDF Group Client Team

NCDF may recommend preparation, clarification or a different adviser before a mandate.

  • The funding purpose, amount, use of proceeds or decision authority is not yet clear.

  • The business cannot provide proportionate financial information or explain material assumptions.

  • The request depends on guaranteed funding, guaranteed valuation, guaranteed investor participation or a fixed completion date.

  • Material ownership, legal, regulatory, tax, technical or environmental questions require another qualified adviser.

  • The opportunity is outside approved scope, conflicted, legally restricted or inconsistent with NCDF risk standards.

Can an early-stage business enquire?

Audience-specific enquiry module

Consent and Acknowledgement