Akon, a famous Senegalese-American musician and a known blockchain supporter, is setting up a blockchain hub in Kenya. Dubbed the “Kenyan Opportunity Hub”, the new venture aims to promote blockchain and artificial intelligence, or AI, education. They also hope to provide Kenyans with more work opportunities. First African blockchain hub launched by Akoin and Effect.AI A joint initiative of Akon’s blockchain startup Akoin and EOSIO-powered project Effect.AI, the hub is set to launch in Q4 2020 and will be the first initiative of its kind in Africa, the companies announced to Cointelegraph on July 1. The project will be handled …

Crypto adoption is making significant advances in Africa, with crypto ownership, trade volume, and regulation all moving toward greater adoption. A recent report by Arcane Research and Luno found that Uganda, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya are frequently among the top 10 countries by Google searches for the word “Bitcoin.” The report describes the continent as “one of, if not the most promising region for the adoption of cryptocurrencies,” emphasizing Africa’s combination of low existing crypto adoption alongside an “enormous” domain possibility. The firms emphasize that Africa exhibits a young population, frequent monetary crises and currency failures, large unbanked …

Back when digitized banking service evolutions such as debit cards, online banking and check imaging were sweeping the financial sector, one could have never imagined what was coming next. I certainly did not, having spent more than 10 years during this time advising executives of major global banks on the implementation of these game-changing technologies. The creation and digitization of new currencies, not owned by the government but by the people, has found its home in the global market over the last decade, starting with Bitcoin (BTC) and soon exploding to thousands of alternative digital currencies available for exchange and …

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance is enabling citizens in five further countries to buy cryptocurrency using Visa debit and credit cards with their national fiat currencies. The new service, announced April 10, will extend card support for the Colombian peso, the South Korean won, the Kenyan shilling, the Kazakhstani tenge and Peru’s neuvo sol. At launch, a total of five cryptocurrencies are available for purchase: Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Binance Coin (BNB), XRP, Binance USD (BUSD) and Tether (USDT). A busy month Binance’s announcement — evidently a positive step for its international user base — follows shortly after the exchange was yesterday …

It has been nearly two decades since the world saw the introduction of a new multinational currency bloc that would alter the balance of global power. Just like the euro, a new currency is taking shape that can compare in scope and vision. Only this time, it’s happening in Africa, and shockingly it’s not digital. The West African Monetary and Economic Union state countries are currently in transition to adopt a new currency that will be used in a single market across a dozen or more West African countries — the Eco. Pegged to the euro, it is designed to …

For many, Africa represents the final frontier of untapped economic growth. Across its diverse countries, growth rates continue to outpace those achieved in long-developed economies. Collectively, growth on the continent stabilized at 3.4% in 2019, and is forecast to reach 3.9% in 2020 and 4.1% in 2021. While these numbers remain below historical highs, fundamentals continue to improve as economies shift from local consumption to external investments. Of the 30 fastest growing cities in the world, 21 are in Africa. Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter and Square, said: “Africa will define the future (especially the Bitcoin one!)” In step …

Three national units of the Red Cross — the largest humanitarian donor after the United Nations — are backing a blockchain-based currency scheme to enhance aid delivery and boost local economies. According to a report from the Thomas Reuters Foundation on Nov. 26, the Red Cross societies of Norway, Denmark and Kenya have launched a two-year plan to replace cash and voucher provision in aid and development efforts with blockchain-backed "local currencies." Plans to onboard 320,000 users As the report outlines, the Red Cross currently distributes $1 billion annually as cash and vouchers, either specifically targeted at disaster relief or …

Blockchain adoption in Africa is on the rise. From transportation to the gaming and lottery industries, reports of companies utilizing decentralized ledger technology (DLT) across the continent are emerging. Several stakeholders in the African blockchain scene say DLT is the key to solving the developmental issues plaguing the continent as a whole. They also believe the technology provides a platform for Africa to elevate itself to a position of greater relevance in global affairs. While the general attention of governments still appears minimal, some countries are reportedly taking steps to promote increased blockchain adoption. Nations such as Kenya and Nigeria …

Microsoft has registered a suite of applications in Brazil that are designed to improve efficiency in the agriculture sector, according to an exclusive report by Cointelegraph Brazil on June 6. The technology, known as FarmBeats, uses blockchain, drones, IoT, artificial intelligence and big data to improve productivity. It has already been rolled out on farms in the United States, India, New Zealand and Kenya, achieving a 30% reduction in water consumption. Ranveer Chandra, the scientist who created FarmBeats, recently said that the agriculture sector had been left behind by the benefits big data, AI and blockchain can bring — even …

Binance Charity Foundation (BCF), the charity arm of major crypto exchange Binance, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Safe Future, a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Uganda focused on local education improvements. Binance announced the development in an official blog post on May 30. The Binance for Children Special Impact Education Project Uganda reportedly aims to provide a number of new supplies to schools in Uganda, such as solar panels, sanitary pads, school supplies, LED screens, as well as breakfast and lunch for students. According to the CEO of Safe Future, Mula Anthony, these developments will reach 100,000 students …

The charity arm of the world’s largest crypto exchange, Binance, has launched its pilot blockchain-based lunch program in African schools, according to a blog post on Feb. 21. Binance Charity Foundation (BCF) has rolled out its charity campaign “Lunch for Children” in the capital of Uganda, Kampala. According to the program, the organization is set to provide two meals a day during the full year of 2019 to more than 200 students and school staff. The recently launched pilot in Uganda is a part of a larger campaign by Binance that intends to benefit one million students in schools across …

Kenya’s government plans to deploy blockchain technology to manage a government housing project of 500,000 units, Kenyan news outlet the Star reported Oct. 15. Within the affordable housing program the government of Kenya reportedly aims to build 500,000 units by 2022, and assist contributors earning less than 100,000 Kenyan Shillings ($992) as they cannot afford mortgages. According to the Star, out of the 2.48 million Kenyans employed in 2016 only 77,000, or 3.1 percent, earned over Sh100,000. The Star reports that blockchain technology will be used to ensure the proper distribution of housing to deserving participants in the program and …