Optasia, which made history in November 2025 as the largest fintech IPO on the JSE, uses proprietary AI to provide credit scoring and micro-lending to unbanked populations.
As traditional development assistance from major donors like the US and UK faces cuts, the need for sustainable, locally-led health solutions is growing.
Cameroon now accounts for over 70% of all mobile money activity in the six-nation CEMAC bloc, which the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) reported processed over €90bn in transactions in 2022.
The investment theses of Africa's CVCs are often less about radical disruption and more about pragmatic self-interest. African founders are taking note.
This bank-fintech tie-up is a noteworthy example of embedded finance in an emerging market, where a large incumbent institution opts to integrate a specialist’s technology rather than build its own competing product.
The Cairo-based startup is sacrificing recurring revenue and betting on a free platform to capture the MENA region's vast market of small businesses and social sellers.
Optasia, which made history in November 2025 as the largest fintech IPO on the JSE, uses proprietary AI to provide credit scoring and micro-lending to unbanked populations.
