Blockchain summit to catalyze Uganda’s technological advancement

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Blockchain Association of Uganda (BAU) is proud to announce the Kampala Blockchain Summit 2024, taking place on Friday, November 1st. Building upon the momentum established during the influential 2019 Africa Blockchain Conference, this year’s summit aims to accelerate the adoption of blockchain technology within Uganda.

The 2024 summit will be hosted at Endiiro Coffee in Kampala and will emphasize fostering collaboration between industry leaders, academic institutions, and regulatory bodies. This collaborative environment will create a fertile ground for the expansion of blockchain technology across diverse sectors in Uganda.

Reginald Tumusiime, Chair of the BAU, emphasizes the summit’s focus on practical applications of blockchain technology.

“The summit will bring together Uganda’s and Africa’s foremost blockchain advocates, policymakers, and business leaders,” he added.

Following in the footsteps of the 2019 conference—which brought together leaders like the President of Uganda and the Governor of the Central Bank—this year’s summit continues the momentum, featuring a keynote address by the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Uganda.

“Attendees can expect insightful sessions on regulatory perspectives, technological applications, and blockchain’s role in Africa’s economic and technological future,” said Tumusiime.

Since the inception of BAU in 2018, the association has been instrumental in establishing Uganda as a regional hub for blockchain and emerging technologies.

Under the recent leadership of Reginald Tumusiime, BAU has grown into a collaborative entity, partnering with key regulatory bodies such as the Financial Intelligence Authority and the Bank of Uganda.

Tumusiime envisions expanding BAU’s mandate and transitioning into an “emerging technologies association” that supports innovations beyond blockchain, including big data, AI, and robotics.

“Our growth will be driven by the stakeholders we work with, and we aim to provide a platform for innovators to scale their ideas,” said Tumusiime.

This year’s summit will spotlight industry insights from prominent figures across sectors. Highlights include Olivier Fines, Global Head of Advocacy and Policy Research at the CFA Institute EMEA, and Thomas Giacomo, Director of Utilisation for BSV Blockchain, both bring international perspectives on blockchain’s impact on finance and policy.

Local and regional leaders, such as Josephine Okui of the Capital Markets Authority and Fred Percy Kisa of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF Uganda), will also share their expertise, reflecting Uganda’s collaborative approach to technology adoption.

The summit’s panel discussions promise to shed light on the regulatory, enterprise, and academic landscapes. In particular;

1. Regulatory Perspectives on Blockchain Panelists, including Josephine Okui Ossiya (CEO of the Capital Markets Authority) and Cyrus Barigye (Director of ICT Systems and Security at the Financial Intelligence Authority), will explore aligning blockchain initiatives with Uganda’s regulatory frameworks.

2. Role of Academia and Development Finance; This session, featuring Dr Dorothy Okello, Dean of Makerere University’s School of Engineering, and Fred Percy Kisa from NSSF Uganda, will discuss academia’s contribution to blockchain research and development finance’s role in enhancing adoption rates.

The discussions are geared towards understanding how regulatory guidance, academic research, and financial institutions can drive blockchain’s responsible adoption across Uganda.

Reflecting BAU’s commitment to practical blockchain applications, the summit will showcase several projects that illustrate blockchain’s real-world utility.

In the agriculture sector, blockchain will be presented as a solution for tracking coffee supply chains, providing transparency and traceability from farm to consumer.

In finance, innovations in payments and asset tokenization will demonstrate how blockchain is revolutionizing transactions and investments in real estate and other asset classes.

With an emphasis on community-building, the Kampala Blockchain Summit will offer ample networking opportunities, connecting regulators, innovators, academics, and industry stakeholders.

This environment aims to facilitate knowledge sharing, build partnerships, and foster collaborations that will support Uganda’s journey into the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“Working with the Bank of Uganda, Capital Markets Authority, and other government entities has allowed us to bring blockchain technology closer to the mainstream. We envision this summit as a catalyst for increased engagement and adoption,” said Tumusiime.