Nigeria Receives Its First Bitcoin ATM in Lagos

Nigeria is home to Africa’s biggest economy, with numerous international companies looking to Lagos as a new hub to reach African consumers. This week, the capital city of Lagos also became home to the country’s first bitcoin ATM.

CEO and founder of Blockstale, a blockchain hardware and software development firm based in Lagos, Daniel Adekunle Omoshola, specifically tailored the machines for the African market. “For about three years now I have been working on the blockchain technology and BTMs (Bitcoin Teller Machines or Bitcoin ATMs) hardware, software and firmware most especially,” said Omoshola to WeeTracker in a statement. “I had my people (Africans) very much in mind since they are a little rigid when it comes to innovation and personal interaction(s) with high tech devices.”

Founded in 2017, Omoshola, along with his co-founder Adeyiga Oluseye Daniel, who currently serves as the firm’s chairman, wanted to increase the presence of bitcoin in the country with the introduction of the new machine. “The BTM had been on the ground since the first week of December 2019,” said Omoshola. “I know there is a scarcity of these machines in Nigeria, and that’s why we’re quietly filling the gap, for now.” Despite the massive popularity of bitcoin in the country, the lack of ATMs made it difficult to utilize fully. “We are really excited to welcome more tech companies into the BTM space as Blockstale has made history in Nigeria and Africa at large,” he continues. “We hope this great innovation structures our economy and opens more opportunities to our youths and other business owners,” the entrepreneur said.

Bitcoin isn’t new to the continent as other countries such as Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Ghana, and Zimbabwe all have bitcoin ATMs (also known as BTMs). It took 60 days of logistics for Omoshola and his team before the machines were constructed in Shenzhen, China, before being sent to Lagos. The Nigerian machines will not accept credit or debit cards but instead, operate through a scannable QR code that links to a mobile bitcoin wallet. Omoshola plans to expand and launch more bitcoin ATMs in Lagos within the year.

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Nigeria Receives Its First Bitcoin ATM in Lagos

Nigeria is home to Africa’s biggest economy, with numerous international companies looking to Lagos as a new hub to reach African consumers. This week, the capital city of Lagos also became home to the country’s first bitcoin ATM.

CEO and founder of Blockstale, a blockchain hardware and software development firm based in Lagos, Daniel Adekunle Omoshola, specifically tailored the machines for the African market. “For about three years now I have been working on the blockchain technology and BTMs (Bitcoin Teller Machines or Bitcoin ATMs) hardware, software and firmware most especially,” said Omoshola to WeeTracker in a statement. “I had my people (Africans) very much in mind since they are a little rigid when it comes to innovation and personal interaction(s) with high tech devices.”

Founded in 2017, Omoshola, along with his co-founder Adeyiga Oluseye Daniel, who currently serves as the firm’s chairman, wanted to increase the presence of bitcoin in the country with the introduction of the new machine. “The BTM had been on the ground since the first week of December 2019,” said Omoshola. “I know there is a scarcity of these machines in Nigeria, and that’s why we’re quietly filling the gap, for now.” Despite the massive popularity of bitcoin in the country, the lack of ATMs made it difficult to utilize fully. “We are really excited to welcome more tech companies into the BTM space as Blockstale has made history in Nigeria and Africa at large,” he continues. “We hope this great innovation structures our economy and opens more opportunities to our youths and other business owners,” the entrepreneur said.

Bitcoin isn’t new to the continent as other countries such as Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Ghana, and Zimbabwe all have bitcoin ATMs (also known as BTMs). It took 60 days of logistics for Omoshola and his team before the machines were constructed in Shenzhen, China, before being sent to Lagos. The Nigerian machines will not accept credit or debit cards but instead, operate through a scannable QR code that links to a mobile bitcoin wallet. Omoshola plans to expand and launch more bitcoin ATMs in Lagos within the year.

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This Vegan Food Entrepreneur Is Helping Black People Get Healthy—And Register To Vote

With the rise of obesity and health issues in the African American community, many have become inspired to change their eating habits and lean toward a healthier diet. Vegan and plant-based diets have become increasingly popular among Americans. For one food entrepreneur, the move created an opportunityvto create a venture aimed at blending veganism with traditional African American food while also giving back to the community.

Aisha “Pinky” Cole is the mastermind behind the Atlanta-based Slutty Vegan food truck, which brings vegan food to underserved communities. Her pop-up eatery has become a huge hit, selling out in cities from Durham, North Carolina, to New York as customers rave about her delicious food. It isn’t uncommon to see lines for her food wrap around the block, which has put her brand on the map. On a typical day, it is normal to have to wait on a line for several hours before you can order Cole’s 100% plant-based burgers and her vegan twists on classic dishes.

“I was one of the people who would always try and to raise awareness about that and how and why heart disease and type 2 diabetes are so prevalent in the [black] community,” she told CNN last year. “People of color die and suffer at a disproportionately higher rate than any other race or community from chronic diseases and lifestyle diseases.”

While Cole currently travels around the country on a 50 city pop-up tour, she has also decided to use the opportunity to register customers to vote. Customers can complete their voter registration forms while waiting on line. Cole launched her voter registration drive through her Pinky Cole Foundation, which she founded in 2019 to inspire people in her community to vote in the upcoming election.

 

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This Vegan Food Entrepreneur Is Helping Black People Get Healthy—And Register To Vote

With the rise of obesity and health issues in the African American community, many have become inspired to change their eating habits and lean toward a healthier diet. Vegan and plant-based diets have become increasingly popular among Americans. For one food entrepreneur, the move created an opportunityvto create a venture aimed at blending veganism with traditional African American food while also giving back to the community.

Aisha “Pinky” Cole is the mastermind behind the Atlanta-based Slutty Vegan food truck, which brings vegan food to underserved communities. Her pop-up eatery has become a huge hit, selling out in cities from Durham, North Carolina, to New York as customers rave about her delicious food. It isn’t uncommon to see lines for her food wrap around the block, which has put her brand on the map. On a typical day, it is normal to have to wait on a line for several hours before you can order Cole’s 100% plant-based burgers and her vegan twists on classic dishes.

“I was one of the people who would always try and to raise awareness about that and how and why heart disease and type 2 diabetes are so prevalent in the [black] community,” she told CNN last year. “People of color die and suffer at a disproportionately higher rate than any other race or community from chronic diseases and lifestyle diseases.”

While Cole currently travels around the country on a 50 city pop-up tour, she has also decided to use the opportunity to register customers to vote. Customers can complete their voter registration forms while waiting on line. Cole launched her voter registration drive through her Pinky Cole Foundation, which she founded in 2019 to inspire people in her community to vote in the upcoming election.

 

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Debra Lee, Debbie Allen, and More Distinguished Black Women Honored at the Women of Power Summit

The 15^th annual BLACK ENTERPRISE Women of Power Summit kicked off on Thursday at the Mirage in Las Vegas with a gala that honored a handful of African American women who’ve reached the pinnacle of success in their careers. Each year the summit welcomes hundreds of professional women of color for a three-day conference that celebrates and empowers corporate leadership. Recipients of the Legacy Awards Gala, hosted by PepsiCo, included Debbie Allen, an award-winning actress, director, choreographer, and producer; Debra Lee, the former CEO and Chairman Emeritus of BET Networks; and Myrtle Potter, the CEO of Sumitovant Biopharma. Gale V. King, the EVP and chief administrative officer of Nationwide, received the coveted Barbara Graves Legacy Award, which was named after the late founder of the Women of Power franchise.

Gale V. King, EVP and chief administrative officer at Nationwide, at the 2020 Black Enterprise Women Of Power Summit

“I’ve been in four cities this week, but I’m delighted to be here. This means so much to me,” said Lee while accepting the first legacy award of the night. “Black Enterprise has been part of my life for at least 50 years.”

The businesswoman went on to address some of the challenges she faced during her three-decade career at BET, especially after she was named as CEO of the network in 2005. “I know how hard it is to remain profitable, keep true to your principles, and remain authentic in this industry,” she said.

Under Lee’s 13-year stint as chief executive, the network was widely criticized for airing racy hip hop music videos that critics argued stereotyped African Americans and degraded women. At one point, black faith leaders led ongoing protests in front of Lee’s Washington, DC home for seven months starting in September of 2007.

“When I took over as COO and CEO, I had to find my voice and figure out what I wanted my vision to be. I couldn’t run the company like the founder had. I had to figure out what I wanted to accomplish, and, as you saw, it was in the middle of protests outside my house for seven months,” admitted Lee. “That was a difficult time for me.”

Lee, however, doubled down on her decision to continue to air controversial content despite the pressure to prohibit explicit music videos. “As a lawyer, I believed in First Amendment rights. I believed in the rights of young people to like the kind of music [that] they liked,” she said.  “We reviewed every video that went on the air and if we thought it violated our standards, we’d sent it back to the labels. I wasn’t going to turn over that authority to someone else.” She added, “I wasn’t going to give that up just because there were protesters at my house. Now, why they didn’t go to Jay-Z and Ludacris’ house? I don’t know. They were the ones making the music,” she said, inciting laughs from the audience. Nevertheless, Lee says the incident forced her to take an introspective look at what she wanted BET to represent and how she wanted to shape her legacy.

Debbie Allen at the at the 2020 Black Enterprise Women Of Power Summit

Allen, who currently directs and stars on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” and recently signed on as the new brand ambassador for Easy Spirit, danced on stage before delivering a heartfelt speech about her decades-long career in entertainment and her drive to keep going. “All my friends are retired. I don’t know what that is,” she joked, explaining that she had no desire to spend the rest of 70’s on cruise ships.

Didn’t make it to Vegas? No worries. Follow all of the action via the Women of Power Summit Livestream and on social media under the hashtag #BEWPS.

 

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