Grace Ashiru
Nigerian financial-services company Zedcrest Group has completed its acquisition of Leatherback, a UK-founded financial-technology business specialising in international payments. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The deal deepens a relationship that began in 2021, when Zedcrest first invested in Leatherback. Full ownership gives the group a larger presence in digital payments and supports its plan to build an interconnected financial-services platform covering investment banking, asset management, securities, financing and financial technology.
Leatherback provides a single digital platform through which individuals and companies can send, receive, exchange and manage money in different currencies. Its services are designed for businesses operating internationally, globally mobile customers and other users who need simpler ways to move funds across borders.
Following the acquisition, Leatherback is expected to continue operating under its existing leadership. Zedcrest intends to provide additional capital, stronger governance and institutional support while preserving the company’s established services and customer relationships.
Leatherback will continue developing its international network from its London headquarters. The company recently established a West African hub in Nigeria and has announced plans for additional regional operations in Canada and Kenya.
For Zedcrest, the transaction offers an opportunity to combine Leatherback’s payment technology with the group’s financial expertise and investment resources. The companies believe this combination can improve product development, strengthen the platform’s reliability and support its expansion into more international markets.
Zedcrest Group Managing Director Adedayo Amzat described the deal as part of a broader belief that technology, worldwide connectivity and trust will shape the future of financial services. Leatherback’s leadership similarly presented the acquisition as an opportunity to grow the platform while continuing to provide secure and convenient international-payment services.
