LemFi, a financial services platform for underserved communities globally, is investing £100 million in the UK over the next five years as it selects London as its new global headquarters.
The announcement was made by the UK Government during the state visit of President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria.
LemFi serves more than two million global customers, enabling cross-border payments to over 30 countries.
Since the start of 2025, the company has grown its UK team by more than 60% and is on track to more than double its headcount to 150 employees by year-end.
“The UK is arguably the most important FinTech hub for the global economy, and we believe our £100m commitment will be one of the best investments we have ever made,” said Rian Cochran, co-founder and CFO of LemFi.
“Our team spans five continents and reflects the corridors we serve: that lived experience is our product advantage. London gives us the regulatory environment and capital access to build a full-stack financial platform for globally mobile communities.”
In 2025, the company acquired London-based credit FinTech Pillar to extend credit services to the ‘credit-invisible’ – people often overlooked by mainstream lenders.
In Ireland, it secured approval from the Central Bank of Ireland to acquire Bureau Buttercrane, granting it instant access to the entire European Economic Area.
LemFi now holds financial services licenses and approvals in several other countries, including Australia, Canada and across 14 US states.
The company has also expanded its range of products, including the launch of Send Now Pay Later services, Instant Access Savings and LemFi Credit.
Ridwan Olalere, LemFi co-founder and CEO, said: “Our London hub will be central to our next phase of growth.
“From here, we’re building the infrastructure to serve customers across Europe, North America and beyond, creating financial systems that move with people, not against them.”