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ABC Graduates 105 Blockchain Programmers in its first cohort of Blockchain Programming Training

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The Africa Blockchain Center, the premier center of excellence for blockchain development in Africa, has today announced the graduation of its first cohort of 105 blockchain developers under its Blockchain Programming training course.

The program, which took 6 months, and was run by a network of global experts, is a practical based course that teaches the learners the core fundamentals of blockchain technology and decentralized systems and takes them through the various blockchain programming protocols with a focus on Cardano, Algorand and Ethereum.

The Africa Blockchain Center (The ABC), a Kenyan Web 3.0 company launched in September 2021 with a mission to propel Africa into the adoption of 4IR (fourth industrial revolution) technologies by building capacity in blockchain programming and catalyzing industry readiness; offering solutions to enterprises seeking to explore the technology, and incubating blockchain startups and companies looking to transition from web 2.0 to web 3.0.

The 105 graduates are from 6 African countries including Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa and Benin. Key learning points from the training that the learners were exposed to includes but not limited to; Decentralization in Information Systems, Principles of Decentralization, History and operating Principles of Bitcoin, Blockchain Technology Fundamental structures, Decentralization as an approach in Information Systems, Introduction to Asset Tokenization, Cryptography in decentralized systems, Application of decentralized approaches to system designs, Alternative digital currencies and tokenization, Introduction to Smart Contracts, Features and roles of cryptographic commitments in accounting systems and Development of existing blockchain – based systems (Cardano, Ethereum, Algorand, IoTEX).

Jefferson Mkungusi, the CEO of Africa Blockchain Center, believes that Africa has great untapped potential when it comes to web3 development. “The youth that we have trained will be able to build innovative solutions that will enable Africa to leapfrog to a new era. The potential that blockchain has in solving some of the challenges that are facing Africa is massive, and we have not even scratched the surface.

“We aim to train 10,000 blockchain programmers, power 25,000 business leaders and executives on blockchain readiness, incubate 50 blockchain startups and launch robust solutions for the market in the next five years.” Said Mkungusi.

As the demand for blockchain solutions increases, the global blockchain industry has a shortfall of skilled candidates. A recent study by LinkedIn Corp. and OKX using data collected from 180 countries between January 2019 and June 2022 revealed an imbalance in the supply and demand of talent in the global blockchain field, with qualified candidates in short supply. Data from the report shows that the number of LinkedIn members working in the blockchain space has grown by 76% year on year through June, but the countries that produce the most blockchain professionals are experiencing a decline in talent growth.

“There is not enough talent because of how novel the technology is. The technology was conceptualized hardly 13 years ago and it has been under speculation for years with no established pipeline for blockchain talent in place. We see the sector’s rapid expansion and aim to become the sector partner when it comes to blockchain capacity.” Further stated Mkungusi.

Many people enter blockchain as a hobby, developing their skills self-taught, informally, online alongside their day job which also makes evaluating potential hires an extra challenge because recruiters and hiring managers may not know what to look for (or the particular red flags) due to their own lack of experience and knowledge.

“There has been a 17% increase in the last few years on projects utilizing blockchain. From acquiring infrastructure for transparency in information sharing, to digital assets deployment and many other use cases, blockchain is earning its seat at the revolutionary-tech table.

The newly trained ABC cohort will therefore become an added value into the blockchain ecosystem as they are open for new opportunities to support organizations in need of blockchain expertise in Africa and globally.” Concluded Mkungusi.

The Africa Blockchain Center is welcoming blockchain stakeholders to enroll in their ecosystem and help them gain in-depth knowledge of functional and technical aspects of Blockchain technology as well as access the capacity they need to deploy blockchain solutions in their businesses and industries.


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

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Celebrating African Creativity: Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ Returns for Its Fifth Year

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The “Made by Africa, Loved by the World” campaign is back for its fifth year, celebrating African creativity and global influence. This year’s theme, “Where Culture Meets Connection,” highlights how social media fosters conversations around cultural moments worldwide.

The campaign features three cinematic films premiering on the Meta Africa page, showcasing the groundbreaking work and personal stories of six dynamic African creatives.

These artists, from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa, represent diverse disciplines, including rap, animation, dance, photography, fashion, and videography.

Here are some of the featured talents:

  • Ladipoe (Nigeria) – A BET-nominated rapper known for blending global hip-hop with African rhythms.
  • Fatboy Animations (Kenya) – An animation studio founded by Michael Muthiga, recognized by Forbes for its original African storytelling.
  • Lisa Quama (Ghana) – A dancer who gained fame after appearing in Beyoncé’s “Already” music video.
  • Gilbert Asante (Ghana) – A photographer and creative director featured in GQ and Glam Africa.
  • David Tlale (South Africa) – A fashion designer whose bold designs have been showcased at major fashion events, including the Met Gala.
  • Ofentse Mwase (South Africa) – A filmmaker with over 24 international awards for his unique visual storytelling.

Kezia Anim-Addo, Communications Director for Africa, Middle East & Turkey, emphasized that the campaign not only celebrates individual success stories but also showcases how culture and social media drive meaningful connections and inspiration.


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Telcos Warn of Nationwide Telecom Blackout over Diesel Shortage

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Mr Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON
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Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), has raised the alarm over a diesel supply crisis caused by an ongoing strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

Telcos Warn of Nationwide Telecom Blackout over Diesel Shortage

Mr Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON in a statement said that the fuel supply disruption is critically affecting telecom base stations, pushing them to the brink of a shutdown and threatening millions of mobile and internet users in the region.

“This strike, which stems from the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State, has effectively halted all truck loading operations and fuel movements,” Emoekpere stated.

He explained that diesel supply to telecom infrastructure has been severely impacted, leaving critical sites with dangerously low fuel levels.

According to him, if urgent measures are not taken, the situation could escalate into a full-blown network blackout, disrupting essential services, including mobile and internet access, business operations, emergency response systems, and daily communications.

ATCON has called on the governors of Lagos and Ogun states to intervene immediately by facilitating the release of diesel from depots to telecom operators to prevent further deterioration of the situation.

“This is not just a telecom issue—it is a national emergency that could cripple economic activities and compromise public safety,” Emoekpere stressed.

The association also appealed to security agencies and petroleum unions to resolve the crisis swiftly to safeguard Nigeria’s connectivity and economic stability.

ATCON emphasised that a prolonged disruption in fuel supply to telecom infrastructure could have far-reaching consequences for both businesses and individuals who rely on stable communication networks for daily operations.

 

 

 


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Nigerians Spend N5.3 Trillion on Telecom Services

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In 2023, Nigerians spent a total of about ₦5.3 trillion on telecommunications services, which includes calls, data, SMS, and other telecom services, according to the Leadership.

Nigerians Spend N5.3 Trillion on Telecom Services

Specifically for voice calls, Nigerians made approximately 408.5 billion minutes of local calls, generating around ₦3.28 trillion from outgoing calls and ₦3.23 trillion from incoming calls, totaling about ₦6.51 trillion in call-related revenue according to projections based on 2023 call volumes and tariff data.

However, the ₦5.3 trillion figure represents the overall telecom sector revenue, with voice calls being a major component but also including data and other services.

For individual spending, MTN subscribers spent an average of ₦2,508 monthly on voice calls in 2023, showing a 14.4% increase from 2022, while Airtel customers spent about ₦1,694 monthly on voice calls.

Total telecom spending (calls, data, SMS, etc.): ₦5.3 trillion in 2023

Estimated revenue from voice calls alone: around ₦6.5 trillion based on call minutes and tariffs

Average monthly spending on calls per subscriber: ₦1,694 to ₦2,508 depending on the network

 

 

 


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