Silicon Valley’s Stripe buys Nigerian start-up Paystack for about $200m
The deal reflects the growing online commerce market in Nigeria and across Sub-Saharan Africa
15 October 2020 - 17:10
byLibby George
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A staff member works at the reception of the Paystack, in Lagos, Nigeria, June 21 2018. File picture: REUTERS/AKINTUNDE AKINLEYE.
Lagos — US payments company Stripe has bought Nigerian fintech start-up Paystack to expand into the fast-growing online market in Africa, the companies said on Thursday.
The acquisition, which media reports said was worth about $200m, reflects the growing online commerce market in Nigeria and across Sub-Saharan Africa.
“The African internet economy is expanding quickly, with online commerce in the region growing 21% year over year, 75% faster than the global average,” Stripe said in a statement.
“In order to help increase Africa's online GDP, Stripe has entered into an agreement to acquire Paystack.”
The Silicon Valley firm is unlisted but valued at $36bn, according to investor website PitchBook.
Paystack, which also provides payments systems, works with more than 60,000 businesses including FedEx, UPS and MTN and processes hundreds of millions of dollars each month. It will continue to operate independently and Stripe will, over time, embed it into its global payments and treasury network, a programmable platform for global money movement that currently spans 42 countries, Stripe said.
Paystack was set up in 2016 by two Nigerian computer science graduates, Shola Akinlade and Ezra Olubi, who received early stage funding in Silicon Valley’s Y-Combinator programme.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Silicon Valley’s Stripe buys Nigerian start-up Paystack for about $200m
The deal reflects the growing online commerce market in Nigeria and across Sub-Saharan Africa
Lagos — US payments company Stripe has bought Nigerian fintech start-up Paystack to expand into the fast-growing online market in Africa, the companies said on Thursday.
The acquisition, which media reports said was worth about $200m, reflects the growing online commerce market in Nigeria and across Sub-Saharan Africa.
“The African internet economy is expanding quickly, with online commerce in the region growing 21% year over year, 75% faster than the global average,” Stripe said in a statement.
“In order to help increase Africa's online GDP, Stripe has entered into an agreement to acquire Paystack.”
The Silicon Valley firm is unlisted but valued at $36bn, according to investor website PitchBook.
Paystack, which also provides payments systems, works with more than 60,000 businesses including FedEx, UPS and MTN and processes hundreds of millions of dollars each month. It will continue to operate independently and Stripe will, over time, embed it into its global payments and treasury network, a programmable platform for global money movement that currently spans 42 countries, Stripe said.
Paystack was set up in 2016 by two Nigerian computer science graduates, Shola Akinlade and Ezra Olubi, who received early stage funding in Silicon Valley’s Y-Combinator programme.
Reuters
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