Africa Blockchain Festival 2026

The second edition of the Africa Blockchain Festival takes place from 15 to 17 October 2026 at the Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. It is a conference about the digital asset sector rather than a single token, so no specific coins are tied to it.

What is happening

The three-day gathering runs under the theme "Capital, Code, and Continuity: Building Africa's Permanent Digital Economy" and is expected to draw more than 3,000 delegates. Attendees include regulators, government officials, financial institutions, investors, blockchain developers, fintech companies and entrepreneurs. The festival held its inaugural edition in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2025 and now moves to Kenya.

The first day, 15 October, focuses on investment, regulation and commercial opportunities. Topics include institutional investment, stablecoins, tokenisation of real-world assets, cross-border payments and regulatory frameworks. Speakers include Dr Emomotimi Agama, Director General of Nigeria's Securities and Exchange Commission, Daniel Mainda, CEO of the Nairobi International Financial Centre, and Sitah Lang'o, Head of East and West Africa at Swift. Venture capitalist Tim Draper will join festival founder Olubunmi Fabanwo for a fireside conversation, and a closed-door session will address operationalising the African Continental Free Trade Area's Digital Trade Protocol.

On 16 October the programme turns to AI, blockchain infrastructure, digital identity, decentralised finance and the creator economy, with technical workshops, developer discussions, live demonstrations and a startup pitch competition whose finalists compete that day. The festival closes on 17 October with networking and cultural activities, including a football tournament. Inkryptus is the title sponsor, with VALR, ADI Foundation, MEXC, Passpoint and the Nairobi International Financial Centre also involved.

Why it matters

The festival brings regulators, investors and industry participants together in one place while Kenya continues to develop its digital asset regulatory environment and wider fintech ecosystem. Sessions on stablecoins, tokenisation, DeFi and cross-border payments reflect the areas where interest in Africa's digital asset market is concentrated.

For holders and traders, the event is a source of information rather than a scheduled on-chain milestone. Statements from regulators, announcements from exchanges and sponsors, and investor meetings with startups may offer insight into the direction of regulation and capital flows in the region. It is worth following official remarks and partnership news from the sessions as they are published.

Key details

• Date: 15-17 October 2026
• Project: Africa Blockchain Festival
• Coins: none specified
• Category: Conference
• Status: confirmed
• Location: Sarit Expo Centre, Nairobi, Kenya
• Source: The Fintech Times (thefintechtimes.com)