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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by HerBauhaus (talk | contribs) at 09:01, 19 March 2025 (Added Reuters citation on African startup investment trends, including Paystack’s acquisition.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Paystack
IndustryFintech
Founded2015
FounderShola Akinlade, Ezra Olubi
HeadquartersLagos, Nigeria
ParentStripe
WebsitePaystack.com

Paystack is a Nigerian financial technology company that provides online and offline payment solutions to businesses. The company processes over 50% of all online payments in Nigeria and serves over 60,000 businesses, including Domino’s Pizza and MTN. In 2020, Paystack was acquired by Stripe for over $200 million.[1][2][3]

History

Paystack was founded in 2015 by Shola Akinlade and Ezra Olubi, who met at Babcock University and worked in banking and IT before founding Paystack.[4][5] In November 2015, it was accepted by the startup accelerator Y Combinator.[6] The public launch of Paystack was in 2016, as the product came out of beta. and Paystack Starter Businesses was launched in early 2018.[7][8]

Funding

In 2016, it raised $1.3M seed funding from Tencent and other investors.[9] In 2018, it raised $8M in a Series A funding led by Irish-American financial services company Stripe.[10] It was acquired in 2020 by Stripe for $200M in a bid to extend Stripe's reach in Africa. Before the acquisition, Paystack was reported to have been used by over 60,000 businesses in Nigeria and Ghana for the collection of online and offline payments.[2]

Global investment in African fintech

According to CNN, the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to increased digital banking adoption across Africa, with Paystack reporting a fivefold rise in business sign-ups in 2020. Paystack co-founder Shola Akinlade stated that the pandemic highlighted how many African businesses lacked adequate digital infrastructure, making it challenging for them to transition to online transactions.[1]

In March 2025, Business Day published an article stating that Africa’s e-commerce sector is expanding, driven by a growing middle class and increased smartphone adoption. The article notes that, "as digital payments improve and trust in online shopping grows, e-commerce is expected to play a pivotal role in Africa’s economic transformation".[11]

In April 2022, Reuters reported that African startups raised $5.2 billion in venture capital in 2021, with fintech firms accounting for 60% of total investment. The article cited Paystack's acquisition by Stripe as an example of international interest in African startups.[12]

The acquisition of Paystack by Stripe is part of a broader trend of increasing global investment in African fintech startups. Other major deals include the $288 million acquisition of DPO Group by Network International and World Remit’s $500 million purchase of Sendwave. According to Global Finance, Africa’s fintech sector has grown, driven by high mobile money adoption and a large unbanked population.[13] Analysts note that Stripe’s acquisition of Paystack reflects a broader trend of increasing fintech acquisitions in Africa, with companies such as Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and Tencent investing in African fintech startups.[13]

Startup Act (2022)

Fintech is one of the fastest-growing tech sectors in Africa, providing mobile money, digital payments, and lending solutions to unbanked populations. Nigeria has become a key hub for fintech startups, attracting investment and international expansion. In 2022, the Nigerian government enacted the Startup Act, which introduced tax incentives and funding mechanisms to support entrepreneurs.[11]

Partnerships

  • Paystack launched a payments solution integrated with E-commerce platform Shopify to allow more African retailers to sell their goods on the platform in 2016.[14]
  • It was selected as the preferred payment partner of open-source eCommerce solution WooCommerce in 2021.[15]
  • It launched Pay with Apple Pay on its platform in 2021.[16]
  • It launched a partnership with Accounting software solution Xero in 2022 that will allow Xero users in Africa to add a 'Pay with Paystack' button to their Xero invoices.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "After $200 million acquisition deal, Nigeria's Paystack plans to get Africa paid". CNN. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  2. ^ a b Lunden, Ingrid (2020-10-15). "Stripe acquires Nigeria's Paystack for $200M+ to expand into the African continent". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  3. ^ Phan, Trung T. (2020-10-16). "The 'Stripe of Africa' just got acquired by Stripe for $200m+". The Hustle. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  4. ^ "Paystack Company Profile: Acquisition & Investors | PitchBook". pitchbook.com. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  5. ^ "Sim Shagaya profiles Ezra Olubi and Shola Akinlade; King of Payments and Purveyors of Hope | #YNaijaPOTY2020 Nominee". YNaija. 2020-12-23. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  6. ^ "Paystack's Y Combinator Application – AfricaIEG.com". Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  7. ^ Madegwa, Clinton (2023-09-01). "Paystack is Now Live In Kenya: Here's What That Means". Dignited. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  8. ^ Kene-Okafor, Tage (2021-05-06). "Paystack expands to South Africa seven months after Stripe acquisition". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  9. ^ Nsehe, Mfonobong. "Nigerian Fintech Startup Paystack Raises $1.3 Million". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  10. ^ "Nigerian payments startup Paystack raises $8m in Series A round led by Stripe". Ventureburn. 2018-08-29. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  11. ^ a b "The rise of African tech startups: Opportunities, challenges, and solutions". Business Day. 17 March 2025. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  12. ^ "African startups drew record $5.2 billion in venture capital last year, industry group says". Reuters. 19 April 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  13. ^ a b "US Payments Giant Stripe Acquires Nigerian Fintech Paystack". Global Finance Magazine. 27 October 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  14. ^ Jackson, Tom (2016-11-15). "Nigeria's Paystack launches solution for Shopify merchants". Disrupt Africa. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  15. ^ "WooCommerce selects fintech startup Paystack as its payments partner | CEO Business Africa". 2021-06-28. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  16. ^ Kene-Okafor, Tage (2021-09-23). "Nigerian businesses can now accept Apple Pay on Paystack". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  17. ^ "Paystack Partners with Xero; Integrates features into its platform. | Radarr Africa". 2022-05-25. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
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