Inspired by the potential to help solve local issues, a team in Nigeria has formed AfricaN3, the first Neo-oriented community on the African continent. AfricaN3 was founded by Neo ecosystem members John Adelakun (aka Kunjon), Mohammed Rabiu (aka Arewa), Deji Sadiq (aka SIDEX), and Dikaysb (who prefers to remain pseudonymous). The founders are employed in various industries, including the legal, medical, design, and programming fields.

AfricaN3 was conceptualized by Adelakun, two friends from high school, and a friend from university. Adelakun studied medicine at the University of Lagos but is currently a full-stack developer who codes in Django and React. He noted:

Working on some Web3 projects sort of exposed me to the endless possibilities that blockchain could help in solving some of my local problems. After lots of research and learning, Neo just seemed like a perfect fit for powering African web3 projects/communities.

Dikaysb studied at the University of Lagos, obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science. Currently, he works as a lab scientist and data analyst but is developing programming skills in Python. 

While Adelakun and Dikaysb met during their medical studies, Sadiq and Arewa are long-time childhood friends of Adelakun.

Sadiq is a graphic artist who studied architecture at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, majoring in 3D design and animations. In the past, Sadiq has worked as a 3D artist for TOTHEMOON, on various NFT projects in the Solana and Ethereum ecosystems, and in the film industry as a video effects artist.

Rabiu studied law at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigeria, and is a general practice lawyer focusing on securities and capital market law. Locally, Rabiu has been part of a team collaborating with the Securities and Exchange Commission Nigeria, working on rules regarding the utilization of cryptocurrencies as securities.

While Sadiq and Adelakun have worked on Web3 projects in the past, this is the first blockchain-oriented project that Rabiu and Dikaysb have embarked on. Ultimately, the co-founders seek to lend their professional expertise to solving local issues in Nigeria and across Africa.

AfricaN3’s Inspiration

AfricaN3 believes it can bring people together to help solve local issues. For example, it has established relationships with healthcare professionals and aims to provide blockchain-based incentives for those who donate blood. The team is also communicating with real estate professionals regarding the tokenization of real estate assets. AfricaN3 co-founder Kunjon noted:

We figured there are opportunities in the blockchain space we could tap into as a community. But after some research, we found that as Africans, we could potentially gain much more than just “consuming” play-to-earn platforms.

The team intends to optimize opportunities from new Web3 paradigms, but also seeks to expand its physical footprint and build the AfricaN3 base to 6,000 members. Ultimately, the co-founders aim to establish a local network of developers, designers, content creators, and others within the blockchain industry. 

Source: AfricaN3

To date, the team hosted its first meetup in Lagos, Nigeria, and most recently gathered in August in Abuja, Nigeria.

Why Choose the Neo Blockchain?

The AfricaN3 founders are long-standing members of the Neo community, familiar with the ecosystem and its tooling. The team has also participated in Neospective contests, NudesArmy meme competitions, and the Forthewin Network memecoin contest.

AfricaN3 opted to build its community around Neo because it believes the blockchain network offers a platform that can help the team achieve its vision. From a technological perspective, N3 offers low fees, multilingual support, and best-in-class tooling, all of which appeal to developers. AfricaN3 also chose Neo because of the longevity of the blockchain, which launched in 2015. 

The community’s first dApp, Neo Wordle, is a game where participants solve word puzzles to earn GAS rewards. It was developed as a community-building tool and to serve as a real-world example for fellow developers. 

Looking forward, AfricaN3 is seeking funding via GrantShares. The GrantShares proposal aims to help enable AfricaN3 to serve as an incubator and portal for onboarding talent, as well as for hosting local events. Kunjon noted, “We are open to ideas and mentorship from the Neo community. We believe Africa is the next hub for blockchain and crypto development, and Neo provides plug-and-play solutions for us.”

To learn more about AfricaN3, visit the link below:
https://african3.com/ 

 

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