Nigerian-born billionaire Bassim Haidar has given Farage's Reform UK another £192,000
Bassim Haidar, born in Nigeria to Lebanese parents, gave Reform UK £192,000 between April and June, taking his disclosed total past £547,000.
Bassim Haidar
Tycoon Bassim Haidar's Optasia has lost 40% since February after Nigeria suspended its core service
Optasia has fallen about 40% from its February peak after Nigeria suspended airtime credit and founder Bassim Haidar cut his stake.
Optasia investors are unsettled as founder Bassim Haidar exits most of his stake
Optasia founder Bassim Haidar has cut his JSE stake from 19% to 1.5% within months of listing, while a related-party acquisition and Nigeria suspension rattle investors.
Tycoon Bassim Haidar's Optasia suspends airtime credit services in Nigeria as regulators bite
JSE-listed fintech Optasia has suspended airtime credit services in Nigeria after new FCCPC digital lending regulations disrupted telecom-linked credit products across the market.
Optasia founder Bassim Haidar sells $86.4 million in shares to FirstRand, cutting his stake five months after the company's JSE listing
Optasia founder Bassim Haidar has sold R1.48 billion in shares to FirstRand just five months after the fintech group's high-profile JSE listing.
Nigerian businessman Bassim Haidar snaps up One Hyde Park flat for £42 million
Reform UK backer Bassim Haidar buys cut-price One Hyde Park flat tied to bankrupt Hong Kong tycoon, betting on a long-term rebound in prime London.
Bassim Haidar’s Optasia stake jumps to $260 million on JSE debut
Optasia rose on its Johannesburg debut after pricing at the top of the range. Founder Bassim Haidar’s BH Holdings owns 19.01% — about 234.8m shares — now valued at roughly R4.55bn ($260m). The AI microfinance firm partners with telcos and banks to deliver small-ticket credit at scale.
FirstRand to buy $279 million stake in Nigerian-Lebanese tycoon Bassim Haidar’s Optasia
FirstRand to acquire a $279 million stake in Bassim Haidar’s fintech Optasia ahead of its Johannesburg IPO.
Nigerian-Lebanese tycoon Bassim Haidar’s Optasia targets $1.5 billion valuation in Johannesburg IPO
Optasia, led by Nigerian-Lebanese tycoon Bassim Haidar, plans a Johannesburg IPO targeting a $1.5 billion valuation.
Nigerian-Lebanese tycoon Bassim Haidar plans $365 million IPO in South Africa with AI Fintech Optasia
Bassim Haidar is betting big on African fintech, planning South Africa’s largest IPO of 2025 to fund Optasia’s global expansion.
Nigerian-Lebanese billionaire Bassim Haidar scores big as Klarna IPO surges
Nigerian-Lebanese billionaire Bassim Haidar’s Knuru Capital bet on Klarna years ago. Klarna’s New York debut likely turned that stake into millions.
Nigerian-Lebanese billionaire Bassim Haidar backs Reform UK with $1.3 million
A longtime supporter of the Tories, Haidar is now backing Nigel Farage, whom he believes can restore the UK to its former glory.
Nigerian cannabis mogul dismisses Trump’s $5 million ‘gold card’ as a hard sell for investors
Nigerian cannabis mogul Bassim Haidar doubts Trump’s proposed “gold card” visa will draw a surge of global investors, pointing to concerns over higher taxes.
Nigerian cannabis mogul Bassim Haidar gives $0.38-million boost to UK political party
This move positions Haidar as the second Nigerian businessman to contribute significantly to the UK Conservative Party.
Nigerian multimillionaire Bassim Haidar looks to exit Optasia to focus on cannabis
Haidar is the founder of multinational fintech company Optasia that provides mobile financial services.
Nigerian-Lebanese tycoon Bassim Haidar plans to launch BNPL e-commerce product in South Africa
The product will provide e-commerce suppliers with a cost guarantee.