Africa’s fintech sector continued to show resilience in the first half of 2025, attracting big-ticket deals despite tighter global funding conditions.
From mobile money giants to API-powered payment innovators, the continent’s top fintech players pulled in hundreds of millions of dollars to expand operations, diversify products, and drive financial inclusion.
According to data compiled by Nairametrics Research, 80 African fintech startups raised over $661 million between January and June 2025.
Ten of these did not disclose the amounts raised.
The top 10 fintech fundraisers alone accounted for more than $470 million, up from $431 million in the same period last year.
Senegal, Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana dominated the leaderboard, while the “Big Four” of Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, and South Africa maintained their multi-year grip on the continent’s fintech capital flows, jointly securing 69.19% of total funding.
West Africa emerged as the top-performing region, pulling in $298.5 million (45.1% of total fintech funding). This was driven largely by Senegal’s record-breaking $137 million debt deal and Nigeria’s $112 million haul—more than double its H1 2024 figure.
North Africa followed with $230.8 million, anchored by Egypt’s $223 million total. Southern Africa, driven entirely by South Africa, secured $98.8 million, while East Africa brought in $23.8 million, with Kenya contributing the lion’s share at $23.3 million.
Top 10 Fintech startup fundraisers as of H1 2025
Senegal’s Wave Mobile Money emerged as the top-funded African fintech in H1 2025, securing a hefty $137 million debt round—a clear vote of confidence in mobile money’s growth prospects across Francophone Africa. The raise was backed by Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), British International Investment (BII)—formerly CDC Group—and Partech Africa.
Wave, already a household name in Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and Burkina Faso, is pushing into new West African markets, cementing its status as the region’s first unicorn. The company previously raised $200 million in its landmark 2021 Series A round.
With over 10 million users across West Africa, Wave’s low-cost mobile money service is redefining financial inclusion in Francophone markets. The fresh funding will fuel expansion into new territories and scale agent networks across the region.
What you should know
The Fintech startup deals in H1 2025 reaffirmed its position as Africa’s most bankable startup sector. While Egypt dominated deal count and value, Senegal’s Wave proved that single-country plays can still deliver continent-leading raises.
With debt financing playing a bigger role this year, the market is signaling a maturing fintech ecosystem—where profitability and scale matter just as much as growth stories.
