Blockchain Africa 2023: Unleashing socio-economic growth

Blockchain technology has been making significant strides in Africa, with South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana adopting the technology to facilitate cross-border payments for African businesses.

The shift towards blockchain technology has been driven by the need for increased trust, security, transparency, and traceability of data shared across business networks. Additionally, blockchain technology’s cost-effectiveness and efficiency have made it an appealing choice in an African context, which could potentially accelerate the continent’s socio-economic growth.

To showcase the latest advancements in blockchain technology in Africa, the ninth annual Blockchain Africa Conference will be held from 16 to 17 March 2023 at The Galleria in Sandton, South Africa.

The event will bring together world-class international and local experts to discuss how blockchain technology and crypto assets are transforming business operations globally and on the African continent. The conference has been running since 2015, attracting over 9 000 attendees from 160 countries.

This year’s conference will focus on how companies are implementing blockchain-based solutions to their business models, with special attention given to the many innovative real-world use cases of this technology.

The event will include panel discussions and keynote speakers covering topics such as the opportunities and challenges of blockchain in healthcare and the future of stablecoins over the global financial market. Additionally, there will be an exhibition, workshops, and networking events.

The conference’s speakers include John Kamara, the founder of Adanian Labs and Afyarekod and chairman of the African Blockchain Centre; Rene Reinsberg, co-founder of Celo and president of Celo Foundation; Julien Bouteloup, founder of Stake Capital Group, and Curve Core team member; Briana Marbury, the executive director of the Interledger Foundation, and Michaël van de Poppe, CEO and founder of Eight BV.

Blockchain technology has become increasingly important across various sectors, including finance, logistics, supply chain, healthcare, telecommunications, and agriculture. Blockchain technology has enabled farmers to track vital information about their products and processes, which has increased the transparency of supply chains and reduced issues related to illegal and unethical production.

Kamara says, “I believe blockchain is a critical part of the future of the global economy, and Africa has to play an important role in this technology. We must become infrastructure owners and not just users; we must also build our own stable tokens and not just keep consuming other values.”

“Blockchain technology has demonstrated real-world impact, empowering communities where the adoption of digital assets is highest. Combined with fast, scalable mobile-first platforms like Celo, industries can benefit from transparent, on-chain infrastructure, providing greater financial access and prosperity for all,” adds Reinsberg.

The Blockchain Africa Conference provides an opportunity for companies, start-ups, governments, and youth to connect and learn from business use cases to scale Africa’s socio-economic growth for e-commerce and entrepreneurship while unleashing the continent’s potential to the rest of the globe.

Bitcoin events director Sonya Kuhnel says, “Much is to be said about blockchain’s impact on Africa’s developing economies, including its inability to recognize tribal lines or national borders. Instead, blockchain provides us with tools to bridge and connect communities, share value and ideas across borders, and empower a new generation of young African voices.

“The African content holds endless possibilities that can be directed at advancing socio-economic growth through blockchain. This year, we want to reiterate that Africa is ready for business. We plan to continue bringing together top experts to captivate and educate a global audience and put Africa on a global scale.”

The Blockchain Africa Conference promises to foster valuable in-person and virtual interaction following two years of the conference being held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic protocols. The conference will spotlight global trends and disruptors.

READ NEXT: Web3’s future is here, but women left behind – new study