The Business Finance department is one of the core business units at IDFC. The business unit supports the mandate of IDFC, and its core development focus is to increase the participation of SMMEs and Co-operatives in all sectors of the economy, and positively contribute to job creation, skills development, and training. This is done through provision of financial and non-financial support services to entrepreneurs of KZN. Business Finance focuses on lending to businesses involved in sectors which are in line with the Provincial Spatial Economic Development Strategy (“PSEDS”), among others, namely, Agriculture and Agro-processing, Construction, Commercial Properties and Tourism; Manufacturing, Hospitality and Trade and Services.

Research has proven that access to credit alone is not sufficient to achieve sustainable development and poverty alleviation. Apart from access to capital, clients also require to a greater extent coherent non-financial support services in the form of mentorship, incubation, training, technical, and general business support.