The Africa Blockchain Festival (ABF) 2026 will happen from 15 to 17 October in Nairobi, Kenya, bringing collectively policymakers, traders, fintech leaders and expertise innovators to talk about the continent’s rising blockchain and digital economic system ecosystem.
Africa’s rising function in blockchain, digital belongings and monetary expertise will take centre stage when the Africa Blockchain Festival 2026 returns for its second version on the Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi.
Under the theme ‘Capital, Code, and Continuity: Building Africa’s Permanent Digital Economy’, the three-day gathering is predicted to entice greater than 3,000 delegates from throughout Africa and past. Participants will embody regulators, authorities officers, monetary establishments, traders, blockchain builders, fintech firms and entrepreneurs.
Following its inaugural version in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2025, the competition strikes to Kenya because the nation continues growing its digital asset regulatory setting and increasing its wider fintech ecosystem.
Bringing Together Capital, Technology and Regulation
The competition’s agenda will deal with three interconnected pillars: capital, code and continuity.
The first day, 15 October, will consider funding, regulation and the business alternatives rising from blockchain adoption.
Discussions will cowl institutional funding, stablecoins, tokenisation of real-world belongings, cross-border funds and the regulatory frameworks wanted to help Africa’s increasing digital economic system.
Among the audio system are Dr Emomotimi Agama, Director General of Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission; Ambassador Professor Bitange Ndemo, Kenya’s former Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union (EU); Daniel Mainda, CEO of the Nairobi International Financial Centre; and Sitah Lang’o, Head of East and West Africa at Swift. Our very personal Richie Santosdiaz can even be one of many audio system.
The opening programme can even characteristic enterprise capitalist Tim Draper in a hearth dialog with competition founder Olubunmi Fabanwo.
A notable characteristic shall be a closed-door dialogue on operationalising the African Continental Free Trade Area’s (AfCFTA) Digital Trade Protocol, bringing collectively representatives from regulatory establishments and the broader digital finance ecosystem.
From Blockchain Innovation to Practical Applications
On 16 October, consideration will shift in direction of the applied sciences and companies shaping Africa’s digital future.
Artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain infrastructure, digital identification, decentralised finance (DeFi) and the creator economic system will characteristic prominently.
Sessions will discover how blockchain can tackle sensible challenges throughout African markets, together with enhancing cross-border transactions, strengthening monetary inclusion and supporting new enterprise fashions.
The programme can even embody technical workshops, developer discussions, reside demonstrations and conversations about the way forward for digital funds.
A startup pitch competitors will give rising companies a chance to showcase their options earlier than traders and business representatives, with finalists competing on the second day.
The competition will conclude on 17 October with networking and cultural actions, together with a soccer event and alternatives for delegates to expertise Nairobi.
Industry Participation and Partnerships
The occasion has attracted participation from organisations working throughout monetary providers, blockchain and digital infrastructure.
Inkryptus has been confirmed as title sponsor, alongside business involvement from VALR, the Nairobi International Financial Centre, ADI Foundation, MEXC and Passpoint.
Their participation displays the rising curiosity in Africa’s digital asset ecosystem, notably as extra international locations discover regulatory frameworks and the business use of blockchain expertise.
Beyond the convention classes, devoted networking alternatives and investor conferences will search to join African startups with potential companions and sources of capital.
The Fintech Times at Africa Blockchain Festival 2026
The Fintech Times can even be represented on the competition. As talked about beforehand, Richie Santosdiaz, will take part as a speaker and moderator.
On the primary day, Santosdiaz will average the panel ‘Institutional Capital Comes to Africa’, that includes representatives from Launch Africa Ventures, Antler and Grand Stream. The dialogue will look at funding alternatives and the function of institutional capital in growing Africa’s blockchain ecosystem.
On day two, Santosdiaz can even average a hearth chat titled ‘Adopting Crypto Responsibly’ with Keega Gachutha – Legal Counsel for Inkryptus and Managing Partner of Keega & Company Advocates, persevering with discussions round Africa’s evolving digital economic system. Santosdiaz is moreover listed among the many judges for the startup pitch finals.
The Fintech Times can also be a accomplice of Africa Blockchain Festival 2026, serving to help conversations round monetary innovation and the event of Africa’s fintech ecosystem.
As blockchain adoption strikes past cryptocurrencies in direction of wider purposes in funds, funding and digital infrastructure, Africa Blockchain Festival 2026 offers a chance to assess the continent’s progress and remaining challenges.
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