NIMBLE GROUP: Sustainable Credit Solutions for Africa: Nimble Group Bridges the Credit Gap

South Africa has been grappling with credit challenges for years, with around a third of the credit-active population struggling with impaired accounts. But the road back to good credit health has become increasingly challenging. Recent data from debt counsellors and credit bureaux paints a grim picture: with high interest rates, a slow economy, and climbing cost of living, the notorious debt spiral is more difficult to escape.

The impact affects both households and credit providers who are sitting on mountains of non-performing or written-off accounts. This compromises their ability to lend and impairs the flow of capital that could otherwise stimulate the economy.

“All transactions are settled in one of two ways: cash or credit,” says Christopher Ward, Chief Operating Officer at Nimble Group. “Cash is always limited, so credit is the real enabler. If credit stops flowing, growth stalls. Our role is to unblock those channels.”

For decades, traditional debt recovery methods have been part of the landscape – but the problem has persisted. A solution must work for both sides: delivering real recovery for credit providers while giving customers a fair path to restore their credit standing. That’s where Nimble Group comes in – a business redefining what sustainable solutions look like. With a carefully developed model and human-first approach, Nimble is proving that rehabilitating distressed borrowers isn’t just essential – it’s possible.

PURPOSE-LED SOLUTIONS

Founded in 2009 by investment bankers Rowan Gordon and Trevor Jacobs, Nimble Group began with a vision to bring an ethical, commercially intelligent model to debt markets in South Africa. Both founders were pioneers in the sale of non-performing portfolios of consumer debt and saw a gap for a business that could extract value from distressed assets, while treating debtors with fairness and dignity. Over the years, this philosophy has shaped every part of the organisation’s operations, from how it trains its teams to how it designs client engagement models, ensuring that recovery efforts remain commercially sound while still rooted in empathy to create sustainable solutions.

Over time, Nimble has built a flexible model addressing the credit market from multiple angles – all driven by the principle that long-term recovery requires humanity and strategy. To date, the Group has helped more than 2.5 million people out of financial distress and granted over R20 billion in debt relief – proof that responsible recovery can create meaningful change

Nimble Credit Solutions partners with lenders to recover revenue across the credit spectrum.

Nimble also purchases non-performing debt from banks, telcos, retailers and other credit providers. When debt becomes impaired or is written off, it becomes a painful, costly burden to manage. Nimble steps in to unlock the value for investment back into the credit provider’s business.

“Over the years, we have purchased around five million accounts, with a value of around R79 billion, and we see ourselves as a debt relief business,” says Abe Pieterse, Head of Debt Purchasing. “We don’t expect to recover the full value of debt that we purchase. We put in place affordable arrangements, charge no interest or fees if debtors work with us, and offer discounts and incentives to help them get debt-free faster.”

Alongside its core credit solutions, Nimble also delivers complementary business turnaround and operational support for companies facing fundamental distressed asset challenges and process inefficiencies. These interventions restore business stability and promote growth – demonstrating a broader distressed asset capability that goes well beyond consumer recoveries.

PURPOSE-LED PARTNERSHIPS

Partnerships have been key to scaling Nimble’s purpose. A standout is with the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Nimble is the IFC’s Preferred Partner in Africa for its Distressed Assets Recovery Programme (DARP) – which aims to advance economic development and improve lives in emerging markets through development of strong distressed asset markets.

“The IFC has taken an equity stake in Nimble and is actively engaged with us in developing more solutions for credit providers and people in general,” says Pieterse. “It’s given us access to further funding, access to best global practices, and has strengthened our governance processes so we consistently operate to the highest standards.”

This global backing has enabled Nimble to make even stronger local impact. In 2019, when retail giant Edcon collapsed, Nimble stepped in to purchase its consumer debt book and crucially retained 200 jobs.

“That was a big milestone for us. Since then, we have continued the relationship with the IFC and we have gained further funding with more people buying into what we do,” says Pieterse.

INNOVATION THAT DRIVES IMPACT

To support its mission, Nimble continues to make significant investments in technological innovation – investing heavily in AI, large language models (LLMs), and machine learning. Technology here is not an abstract idea – it’s embedded in the day-to-day work, making it easier to analyse trends, predict customer behaviours, and refine debtor contact in ways that were impossible even a few years ago.

“We are always trying to work smarter, with real-time analytics and to match the right approach to the right customer,” says Pieterse. “We’re working hard on digital tools, LLMs, machine learning, and AI. Our multilingual AI-powered chatbot, Ntombi, is an example that makes it possible to have faster, more natural conversations in English, Afrikaans, Zulu, and Xhosa.”

Ward adds: “AI takes care of the repetitive processes so our people can focus on the moments that require empathy, understanding, and real problem-solving. That’s where we can make the biggest difference.”

EXPANDING REACH

Nimble Group’s reach spans southern Africa. With operations in South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana, and limited activity in eSwatini and Lesotho, the business is following opportunity, guided by data.

This regional diversification also acts as a hedge against localised economic downturns, enabling Nimble to maintain performance even when individual markets face temporary slowdowns.

Each market brings its own regulatory environment, cultural dynamics, and economic conditions, but the company’s adaptable model allows it to deliver consistent results while respecting local nuances.

“Our team has experience across various industries and markets. We use this experience across similar portfolios, tailored to local environments, to create the best customised solution,” says Pieterse.

Ward furthers: “We have a mandate from the IFC to take business wherever there is available market opportunity.”

SUSTAINABLE ADVANTAGE

What separates Nimble from others in the market is its ability to listen, customise, and adapt. They don’t chase aggressive, unsustainable growth. Instead, they focus on delivering real solutions with real value. By keeping a firm balance between financial returns and long-term market stability, Nimble protects its partners from the pitfalls of short-sighted recovery strategies.

“We pride ourselves in our ability to tailor solutions relative to each client. It’s not only about buying debt – there are often many solutions for different problems,” says Ward.

“We focus on one thing, and we try and do it really well,” adds Pieterse. “Whether that is through new geographic markets or new solutions, we are always ready to listen. We search for good value rather than chasing investment at all costs.”

Internally, the culture is geared toward performance and agility. With a flat structure, an involved Board, and a high-energy workforce incentivised by unlimited commissions, Nimble is designed to win.

“We have a lean structure, we have very committed leadership, and it is not a long process for us to get things done,” says Pieterse.

“A lot of our culture is embedded from our Board,” Ward reiterates. “We are a private business but we are run like a listed business. We have all the governance in place to ensure we are responsible in the way we offer our solutions. Ensuring motivation in the employee base by not having a lot of bureaucracy is important.”

FUTURE FOCUS

The challenges facing Africa’s credit markets are unlikely to disappear overnight. But with challenge comes opportunity.

Nimble’s vision is to keep credit flowing responsibly, refining strategies, and expanding impact across sub-Saharan Africa. This means continuing to deliver stronger recoveries for credit providers, fair rehabilitation for customers, and progressive turnaround solutions for businesses.

“Credit is a powerful enabler,” says Ward. “Our job is to make sure it’s used in a way that benefits everyone – lenders, borrowers, and the economy.”

With advanced technology, patient capital, and a people-first ethos, Nimble is not just making credit markets more efficient – it’s restoring financial dignity and strengthening businesses to support a healthier economy.