Optasia reports 58% revenue growth but forecasts slower second half

JSE-listed financial technology group Optasia reported a 58.1% increase in revenue for the first half of 2026, while its full-year target points to slower growth over the remaining six months.

Revenue for the six months to 30 June rose to $185.3 million from $117.2 million. Adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation increased 44.8% to $77.9 million.

Profit for the period climbed 58.3% to $36.9 million, while normalised net income rose 39.8% to $39.3 million. Headline earnings reached 2.79 US cents a share, up 50.3%.

Full-year range implies a slowdown

Optasia is targeting growth of between 30% and 40% in full-year revenue, adjusted Ebitda and normalised net income.

Based on the group’s 2025 revenue of $265.4 million, that range would require full-year revenue of about $345 million to $371.5 million. After the first-half result, the second half would need to contribute between $159.7 million and $186.2 million.

TechCentral calculated that the lower end would place second-half revenue 13.8% below the first half, while the upper end would leave it broadly unchanged.

The company said airtime-credit services in Nigeria were suspended in April after new consumer-lending rules were introduced. Partners were operating again by 24 June under a multi-provider system. Nigeria’s contribution fell from about 14% of group revenue in 2025 to less than 4% in the second quarter.

Optasia also said changes to the management of overdraft services in Uganda, Ghana and Cameroon would reduce reported revenue more than profit because those services have lower margins.

The group launched in Gabon and South Sudan during the period. It said 12 more deployments were being delivered and more than eight were targeted for the second half.

Optasia listed on the JSE in November 2025. FirstRand, which held 20.1% before the listing, now owns 26.1%.