Blockchain may be borderless, but its adoption is deeply local. That’s the message at the heart of Co-Creating a Roadmap for Blockchain in Nigeria, a white paper developed to guide the country’s national blockchain policy. The report highlights a bold vision: Nigeria isn’t just looking to follow global blockchain trends – it’s positioning itself to co-lead.
[TECH] Nigerian Government Approves the National Blockchain Policy: The Federal Executive Council of Nigeria has approved the National Blockchain Policy for Nigeria as presented by the Minister of Communicat.. https://t.co/wdKHDJZcgx via @BitcoinKE
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Backed by data analysis, global research contributions, and a call for inclusive policymaking, this paper offers both a snapshot of Nigeria’s current blockchain landscape and a roadmap for what comes next.
A Transformative Opportunity
The report opens with a powerful case: blockchain is no longer theoretical.
Countries like Estonia and Singapore are already using it to streamline government services, enhance financial systems, and build more trustworthy institutions. For Nigeria – a country with over 200 million people, significant informal economies, and underbanked communities – blockchain offers solutions to long-standing issues:
- Financial Inclusion: With the potential to reduce transaction costs by up to 80% (McKinsey, 2018), blockchain can make banking more accessible.
- Supply Chain Transparency: Particularly vital for agriculture, blockchain’s ability to trace product origins and verify transactions can enhance export trust.
- Digital Identity: Over 1 billion people globally lack verifiable ID; blockchain-based systems can bridge that gap (Accenture & World Bank, 2021).
In essence, Nigeria has the chance to turn its digital challenges into innovation opportunities.
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A Global, Data-Driven Approach
One of the most compelling parts of the report is its methodology.
To inform the national policy, the team behind the paper used Generative AI and scholarly data analysis to identify top blockchain researchers of Nigerian descent worldwide. Out of over 6,000 blockchain publications, 42 researchers with Nigerian names or affiliations were shortlisted. Through human verification, 21 were confirmed as key contributors to the field.
This approach merges technology and human insight to build a truly inclusive advisory body – something few national tech policies can claim.
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The Call to Co-Create
What sets this paper apart from standard government white papers is its invitation to the public.
Recognizing the limits of algorithmic name recognition and the global dispersion of Nigerian talent, the report calls on the community to contribute. It’s a rare move that signals openness, transparency, and a desire to crowdsource intelligence from Nigerians at home and abroad.
By co-creating its blockchain roadmap, Nigeria is not just building for the present – it’s laying the foundation for sustained innovation and trust.
The Federal Government of Nigeria Puts Out a National Blockchain Adoption Strategy: https://t.co/1HsXLP6ygf @NITDANigeria #Nigeria🇳🇬 #EndSARS
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Key Takeaways
- Strategic Relevance: The paper aligns blockchain adoption with Nigeria’s broader digital transformation goals.
- Global Intelligence: Leveraging the Nigerian diaspora of blockchain researchers adds both credibility and cultural insight.
- Inclusivity in Policy: Through crowdsourcing and stakeholder engagement, the process reflects democratic, bottom-up principles.
- Sector Priorities: Focus areas like finance, agriculture, and digital identity show where blockchain can move the needle fastest.
In a world of hype-heavy blockchain evangelism, Co-Creating a Roadmap for Blockchain in Nigeria stands out for its grounded, collaborative approach. It doesn’t promise miracles; instead, it offers a framework for trust, experimentation, and responsible innovation.
If Nigeria succeeds in executing this roadmap, it won’t just be a case study in blockchain adoption – it could become a model for how emerging economies chart their own digital futures.
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