SiBAN’s Obinna Iwuno: We want 90% of Nigeria’s digital infrastructure on the blockchain

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“I envision that in the next five to ten years, 90% of our digital infrastructure is on the blockchain,” Obinna Iwuno tells CoinGeek Backstage. In an interview on the sidelines of the Digital Nigeria International Conference 2023, he talked about the impact the technology can have in Nigeria and why the country is leading the continent in blockchain adoption.

Iwuno was one of the speakers and moderators at Digital Nigeria, where dozens of global and regional experts gathered to share their perspectives on the latest technology and its impact in Africa.

“Digital Nigeria is a very timely and necessary event,” stated Iwuno, the President of the Stakeholders in Blockchain Association of Nigeria (SiBAN). He noted that Nigeria is transitioning into a digital economy, and initiatives like Digital Nigeria allow top minds to chart the way forward together.

One of Nigeria’s most significant strides towards digitizing its economy is 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT), a program spearheaded by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to equip 3 million Nigerians with technical skills. In November, the program has onboarded over 1 million young minds.

Nigeria’s National Blockchain Policy, launched in 2023, maps out the nation’s path toward making blockchain a critical part of its digital infrastructure. According to Iwuno, Nigeria is the first in Africa and the ninth globally to launch a national roadmap for blockchain integration.

“What that signifies for us as Nigerians is that we want to see wide adoption of blockchain in our public and private sector. We also want to see inclusive participation where other sectors begin to engage with blockchain,” he told CoinGeek Backstage reporter Becky Liggero.

With this roadmap, Iwuno believes Nigeria will have over 90% of its digital infrastructure on the blockchain within the next decade. This makes events like Digital Nigeria significant as platforms for education and networking for those who believe in the vision of a digitalized Nigeria.

Watch: Digital Nigeria 2023 highlights Nigeria’s effort to leapfrog into the modern world