Lesaka APEX Graduate Programme 2027: 75% Average

Who can apply

• Exact qualification titles: Lesaka requires relevant qualifications aligned with Technology, Finance or Operations rather than publishing one exhaustive list of accepted degrees.

How to apply

Applications are submitted directly to Lesaka APEX - we do not collect applications. Read the eligibility criteria, prepare your supporting documents, then complete your application on the official page.

Full details

Lesaka Technologies is recruiting high-performing graduates and final-year students for its APEX Graduate Programme 2027, with successful candidates becoming permanent employees from Day One rather than temporary interns.

The 18-month Future Leaders Accelerator covers Technology, Finance and Operations, but applicants need a minimum 75% academic average and evidence that they can lead, solve problems and create impact.

The programme is based in Johannesburg and applications close on 30 October 2026.

Key Details

• Company: Lesaka Technologies
• Programme: APEX Graduate Programme 2027
• Programme name: Future Leaders Accelerator
• Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng
• Employment type: Permanent
• Development period: 18 months
• Experience level: Entry level
• Main streams: Technology, Finance and Operations
• Minimum academic average: 75%
• Final-year students: Considered
• Previous fintech experience: Not required
• Salary: Not specified
• Applications opened: 2 October 2026
• Closing date: 30 October 2026
• Application method: Online

This is not a temporary graduate placement

The most important difference between APEX and many traditional graduate programmes is the employment arrangement.

Successful applicants become permanent Lesaka employees from the beginning.

Each graduate will have:

• A permanent role
• A line manager
• Real business responsibilities
• Genuine deliverables
• Exposure to meaningful business challenges

The 18-month APEX journey then runs alongside that permanent role, developing the graduate’s professional, functional, commercial and leadership capabilities.

That makes this programme particularly significant for graduates who are not only looking for workplace exposure but also want to begin building a longer-term professional career.

Who is Lesaka looking for?

Strong academic marks are important, but they are not the only requirement.

Applicants should have:

• A minimum 75% academic average
• A relevant qualification aligned with Technology, Finance or Operations
• Evidence of leadership
• Strong analytical ability
• Strong problem-solving skills
• A desire to create impact
• Curiosity about technology and business
• Interest in the future of financial services
• Ability to adapt across different functions and environments

Lesaka specifically states that previous fintech experience is not required.

That means applicants should not reject themselves simply because they have never worked in financial technology before.

Final-year students can be considered

You do not necessarily need to have completed your qualification already.

Lesaka confirms that final-year students will be considered.

Your academic transcript will still be particularly important because the programme requires a minimum average of 75%.

Students should therefore make sure their latest academic results are available before starting the application.

Technology Stream opportunities

The Technology Stream includes five graduate pathways.

Cybersecurity Analyst

This pathway focuses on protecting systems, information and customer activity.

Graduates interested in cybersecurity, information security and digital risk may find this particularly relevant.

Data Analyst

Data Analysts help turn large amounts of information into useful insights.

Suitable applicants may come from backgrounds involving:

• Data analysis
• Statistics
• Information systems
• Computer science
• Mathematics
• Related analytical disciplines

Developer / Business Analyst

This pathway combines technology with business problem-solving.

It may suit graduates interested in understanding business requirements while helping build or improve technology solutions.

AI / Automation Engineer

This is one of the programme’s most future-focused pathways.

Graduates will be expected to explore how artificial intelligence and automation can improve productivity and solve practical business problems.

Security Operations Analyst

This pathway focuses on protecting Lesaka’s systems and customer data.

It could suit graduates interested in operational cybersecurity and security monitoring.

Finance Stream opportunities

Graduates interested in accounting, financial analysis, insights and risk also have several options.

The Finance Stream includes:

• Group Accountant
• Finance Sales Analyst
• Junior Finance Analyst
• Junior Insights Analyst
• Risk Analyst

These roles cover different parts of the finance environment.

For example, an Accounting graduate might be more naturally aligned with the Group Accountant pathway, while analytical graduates interested in data and commercial decision-making may be better suited to the Junior Insights Analyst route.

Operations Stream opportunities

The Operations Stream includes:

• Operations & Projects Graduate
• Commercial Strategy Analyst
• Junior Commercial Decision Analyst
• Fraud Risk Analyst

These pathways could suit graduates interested in project management, strategy, commercial analysis, operations, fraud prevention and business decision-making.

Applicants should identify the stream and role that genuinely matches their qualification and strengths instead of treating APEX as one generic graduate programme.

A 75% average is only the first filter

Academic performance will help establish whether you meet an important minimum requirement.

It does not automatically make you a strong candidate.

Lesaka also wants evidence that applicants have demonstrated leadership, analytical ability and a desire to improve how things work.

Your application should therefore answer questions such as:

• What have you led?
• What difficult problem have you solved?
• What have you improved?
• When did you take initiative?
• What did you build or organise?
• Where did you use data or technology to achieve a result?

These examples can come from much more than formal employment.

Do not write “strong leader” or “excellent problem solver” without evidence. Use one or two specific examples from university, community work, entrepreneurship or projects and explain what you changed or achieved. Lesaka is explicitly looking beyond academic results, so your evidence of impact could become one of the most important parts of your application.

Leadership does not require a corporate title

Lesaka accepts evidence of leadership from different parts of an applicant’s life.

This can include experience from:

• University activities
• Student organisations
• Employment
• Community involvement
• Entrepreneurship
• Volunteer work
• Academic projects
• Other meaningful activities

You do not need to have been a manager.

Leading a university project, starting a small initiative, helping organise a society or taking responsibility for solving a difficult problem can all demonstrate leadership when explained properly.

AI and technology are part of every graduate’s development

Artificial intelligence is not limited to candidates entering the Technology Stream.

One of the aims of APEX is to help graduates identify ways in which AI and technology can improve productivity, automate work, improve customer experiences and solve business problems.

That matters for Finance and Operations graduates too.

Modern professionals increasingly need to understand how technology affects their work even when they are not software developers.

Applicants who have already experimented responsibly with automation, data tools, artificial intelligence or digital problem-solving should consider showing that experience where relevant.

Graduates will work with senior leaders

APEX participants will have opportunities to engage with executives and work on strategic business challenges.

They will also gain exposure beyond their immediate functional area to Lesaka’s customers, businesses, markets and operations across different functions and geographies.

This broader exposure is intended to help graduates develop commercial understanding rather than remaining focused only on their own technical discipline.

The programme ends with a major business challenge

The development journey culminates in an executive-sponsored business challenge.

Participants will develop a recommendation and present it to senior leadership.

The programme also includes a community or corporate social investment contribution.

This means graduates will need to demonstrate more than technical ability.

Presentation, communication, collaboration and strategic thinking will also matter.

What capabilities will graduates develop?

During the 18-month journey, Lesaka intends to develop graduates across areas including:

• Commercial thinking
• Strategic thinking
• Influencing
• Communication
• Collaboration
• Leadership
• Personal effectiveness
• Technology capability
• Functional expertise

These are transferable capabilities that can remain useful even as a graduate’s career develops beyond their initial role.

How to strengthen your curriculum vitae

A generic graduate curriculum vitae may not be enough for a selective programme like APEX.

Your document should quickly show:

• Your qualification
• Your academic average
• Relevant technical skills
• Relevant university projects
• Leadership experience
• Analytical ability
• Problem-solving examples
• Technology exposure
• Achievements
• Community involvement
• Entrepreneurship, where relevant
• Current contact information

Where possible, show results.

Instead of:

Participated in a university technology project

Consider:

Worked in a four-person team to develop a data dashboard that automated reporting for a final-year business analytics project.

The second version provides far more evidence.

Tailor your application to your APEX stream

Do not submit exactly the same curriculum vitae for every possible pathway.

Technology applicants

Bring forward:

• Programming
• Cybersecurity
• Data analysis
• Artificial intelligence
• Automation
• Information systems
• Technical projects
• Software development
• Mathematics or statistics skills

Finance applicants

Highlight:

• Accounting
• Financial analysis
• Financial modelling
• Risk
• Microsoft Excel
• Data interpretation
• Commercial analysis
• Research

Operations applicants

Show relevant experience involving:

• Project management
• Operations
• Strategy
• Process improvement
• Business analysis
• Fraud risk
• Data-driven decision-making
• Commercial problem-solving

The stronger the connection between your skills and your selected pathway, the easier it is for recruiters to understand your fit.

What documents do you need?

Applicants must submit:

• An updated curriculum vitae
• An academic transcript
• Copies of completed qualifications or certificates, where applicable

Lesaka warns that incomplete applications may not be considered.

Because the academic requirement is 75%, your transcript deserves particular attention.

Check that:

• Your name is visible
• All relevant pages are included
• The document is readable
• Your latest results appear
• The document accurately reflects your academic performance

How much does the Lesaka APEX Graduate Programme pay?

A salary amount is not specified in the current programme listing.

However, this programme is different from an internship that provides only a stipend because successful applicants are appointed as permanent Lesaka employees from Day One.

Applicants should not attach salary figures from unrelated Lesaka positions or previous graduate intakes to the 2027 programme.

Is there an age limit?

A specific minimum or maximum age requirement is not stated in the current listing.

Do not assume the common 18 - 35 youth-programme limit applies unless Lesaka specifically states it.

Is South African citizenship required?

The current programme listing does not state a specific citizenship requirement.

Applicants should therefore follow the eligibility questions presented on Lesaka’s recruitment portal rather than adding a citizenship rule that has not been confirmed.

How to submit your Lesaka APEX application

Applications are completed online through Lesaka Technologies’ recruitment platform.

Candidates who meet the requirements can submit their information through the official Lesaka APEX Graduate Programme application portal.

Before submitting, check that you have:

• At least a 75% academic average
• A qualification aligned with Technology, Finance or Operations
• Selected a suitable career pathway
• Updated your curriculum vitae
• Prepared your academic transcript
• Added qualification certificates where applicable
• Highlighted genuine leadership experience
• Checked all contact information

Applications close on 30 October 2026.

Do not wait until the closing date

The programme requires more thought than uploading a generic curriculum vitae.

Use the time before the deadline to identify the pathway that best matches your qualification and build evidence around it.

Your academic transcript shows whether you meet the marks requirement.

Your curriculum vitae should then show why Lesaka should see future leadership potential in you.

That distinction matters.

What has not been specified?

Several details should not be guessed.

Salary: No amount is stated.

Age requirement: No specific age restriction is provided.

Citizenship requirement: No specific citizenship condition is stated in the current listing.

Guaranteed appointment after 18 months: Participants are already permanent employees from Day One, but future progression or promotion is not guaranteed.

Exact qualification titles: Lesaka requires relevant qualifications aligned with Technology, Finance or Operations rather than publishing one exhaustive list of accepted degrees.

Applicants should judge eligibility using the requirements of their selected stream and role.

Why this programme stands out

Many graduate programmes begin with a temporary contract and the possibility of permanent employment later.

APEX takes a different approach.

Successful candidates start with:

Permanent employment + real responsibilities + an 18-month development journey.

They then build exposure to leadership, commercial thinking, artificial intelligence, technology and cross-functional business challenges.

For high-performing graduates who want significant responsibility early in their careers, that combination makes APEX particularly competitive.

Final Thoughts

The Lesaka APEX Graduate Programme 2027 is aimed at high-performing graduates and final-year students who want more than a traditional training programme.

Applicants need a minimum 75% academic average, a relevant qualification aligned with Technology, Finance or Operations, and evidence of leadership, analytical ability and problem-solving.

Successful candidates become permanent Lesaka employees from Day One while completing the 18-month Future Leaders Accelerator.

With pathways covering cybersecurity, data, software development, artificial intelligence, accounting, finance, risk, strategy, operations and fraud prevention, the programme offers several routes into South Africa’s growing fintech environment.

Applications close on 30 October 2026, so suitable candidates should choose their stream carefully, prepare their academic transcript and tailor their curriculum vitae around measurable evidence of leadership and impact.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

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