Unlocking the Potential of Blockchain in Sub-Saharan Africa: Opportunities and Challenges

Blockchain technologies hold significant potential for sub-Saharan Africa, where two in five households have internet access - a figure rapidly increasing due to the affordability and ubiquity of smartphones. Blockchain technologies provide a more significant value proposition for sub-Saharan Africa compared to the developed world due to their potential to compensate for the lack of adequate formal enforcement of these emerging technologies, such as rules, laws, and regulations. This article examines key challenges regarding digital technology in Africa and assess the potential opportunities for blockchain to address them, particularly in cross-country remittances and access to capital, identity verification, property rights, and humanitarian aid disbursement.