The Blockchain Association of Uganda (BAU) is set to host the Kampala Blockchain Summit on Friday, November 1, 2024, at Endiro Coffee located on Kintu Road in Nakasero to deepen collaboration between industry, academia, and regulatory bodies, fostering a fertile environment for blockchain technology’s expansion across diverse sectors.
Reginald Tumusiime, the Chairman of the Blockchain Association of Uganda said the summit is training focused on real-world applications, regulatory frameworks, and academic engagement.
The summit will bring together Uganda’s and Africa’s foremost blockchain advocates, policymakers, and business leaders to discuss insightful sessions on regulatory perspectives, technological applications, and blockchain’s role in Africa’s economic and technological future.
The Kampala Blockchain Summit builds on the progress and dialogue established during the influential 2019 Africa Blockchain Conference. Following in the footsteps of the conference—which brought together leaders like the President of Uganda H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Uganda; the Late Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile —this year’s summit continues the momentum, featuring a keynote address by the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Uganda; Dr. Michael Atingi-Ego.
Keynote speakers and industry insights
This year’s summit will spotlight industry insights from prominent figures across sectors including Olivier Fines; Global Head of Advocacy and Policy Research at the CFA Institute EMEA, and Thomas Giacomo; Director of Utilisation for BSV Blockchain, both of whom 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, 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;
- 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 how to align blockchain initiatives with Uganda’s regulatory frameworks.
- 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.
Real-world blockchain applications on display
Reflecting the Blockchain Association of Uganda’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,” said Tumusiime. “We envision this summit as a catalyst for increased engagement and adoption.”
Since the inception of the Blockchain Association of Uganda 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, the Blockchain Association of Uganda has grown into a collaborative entity, partnering with key regulatory bodies such as the Financial Intelligence Authority and the Bank of Uganda.
Tumusiime envisions an expansion of the Blockchain Association of Uganda’s mandate, transitioning into an “emerging technologies association” that supports innovations beyond blockchain, including big data, artificial intelligence (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,” he said.
