Fintech • Lagos, Nigeria
Paystack is a Nigerian-founded financial technology company that has become one of Africa's most significant digital payments platforms, providing payment infrastructure that enables businesses to accept payments and operate across African markets. Founded in Lagos in 2015 by Shola Akinlade and Ezra Olubi, the company became the first Nigerian startup accepted into Y Combinator and subsequently attracted investment from international technology and financial institutions including Stripe, Visa, Tencent and Y Combinator. Stripe acquired Paystack in 2020, creating a notable link between Nigeria's technology ecosystem and one of the world's leading global payments companies. A decade after its founding, Paystack has expanded beyond Nigeria into multiple African markets, while its payment infrastructure has supported the growth of businesses ranging from startups to established enterprises. Its development from a Lagos startup into a Stripe-owned African payments company makes Paystack an important case study in Nigerian fintech, African digital commerce, venture-backed technology and the internationalisation of African technology companies.
