The Lagos Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Assets on its 7th leg, is returning to Lagos for the 3rd consecutive season.
The conference is aimed to bridge the knowledge gap by providing government functionaries, decision makers, professionals and practitioners with the resources they need to make key business-shaping decisions in a rapidly changing world.
The conference is themed: ‘Blockchain Beyond the Hypes’.
Dr. Pantami, represented by the Head of South West Zonal Office, Mrs Chioma Okee-Aguguo, said that regulating was not to stagnate IT but to promote it and put things in place to protect the vulnerable.
According to him, for effective regulating, imputes will be gathered from others stakeholders like the Central Bank of Nigeria and Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, since it has to do with monetary issue.
“This conference is a unique opportunity to explain to the public the benefits and challenges of blockchain and its application in Nigeria.
“Digital economy is relied on a third party entity and can be hacked but the adopting of blockchain can play a role of ensuring that people’s privacy are protected,” he said.
Pantami said that new innovation had gathered a necessary hype but not taking into consideration the infrastructure that was needed, adding that it was where the regulation of the agency would come in.
He said that key to adoption of blockchain was digital identity, adding that the agency would make use of Public Key Infrastructure(PKI) which was a set of roles, policies, and procedures needed to create, manage, distribute, use, store & revoke digital certificates and manage public-key encryption.
He said that it would help to earn the trust and confidence of people within the cyber space.
Also speaking, President, Fintech Association of Nigeria, Dr Segun Aina, said that there was the need to critically look at what solutions of block chain application the country would want to pitch on for its growth.
He said that to actualise this, there was also the need to domesticate blockchain application in the country.
He urged the blockchain user groups to stand as an advocacy and support group and to continuously engage with government to ensure blockchain adoption in the country.
“Government needs to ensure that they digitise its activities, elevate discussion of the technology as such that it is well known by the public to improve their lives.”
On his part, the Chief Economist, PwC Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Nevin, said that Africa and Nigeria in particular must not neglect the potentials the emerging technologie such as blackchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning, virtual reality, internet of things, among others.
According to Nevin, “For instance, Nigeria will find it difficult to deliver quality healthcare and education, in the nearest future, particularly, to the rural dwellers, if it should neglect the emerging technologies.
“AI is meant to solve problems, like UBA has done with LEO chatbot. Likewise, adopting blockchain will bring about even trust among Nigerians. Because trust is one issue that the people are battling with.
The Chief Economist of PwC, however said,”Blockchain is not the future for Nigeria; it is already here as demonstrated by the Nigeria Customs Service which uses blockchain for excise tax collection”.
Mr. Nevin, also suggested that the country needs ubiquitous broadband to tap into the aforementioned emerging technologies.
Earlier, the Convener and founder of Blockchain Nigeria User Group, Mr Chimezie Chuta said that the knowledge that would be got from the conference would position the country where they are meant to be as regards technology.
“We need to receive valuable things that would aid the country, go out with information and be able to apply them.
“The application of these information will give us new experience that will push the country to the next level.
He added that the conference would feature a melding of the AI and Blockchain/ Virtual Financial Assets communities in Nigeria and across the world, exploring the possibilities at the intersection of these technologies.
He said that the conference would bring together stakeholders who are applying artificial intelligence to solve today’s problems and creating tomorrow’s opportunities, while leveraging available tools, to create entirely new values.
Germaine Ifudu, Crypto Currency Advisor, Fund Manager, Angel Investor, IT Specialist, Project Management Profess
Yongjie Athena Yu, Executive Director, Binance Charity Foundation (BCF); James Hinton, Advisor and Crypto Enthusiast at Flashcoin.io. Lateral thinker and serious entrepreneur; Chima Abafor, Co-founder, Chief Technology Officer at Ogwugo and Ugarsoft; Shamim Khan, Esq., drector, Lex Futurus (UK) Blockchain Regtech & Law Limited; Roberts Akinsope who leads EY West Africa’s Digital Solutions team, among others with TechEconomy.ng as official media partners.
The second day of the event featured Masterclasses on AI strategies for Executives & Business Leaders; Cryptocurrency trading; Blockchain for Tax Firms/Regulators and Blockchain, Banking & Trillions: Decentralized Finance.
Featured Image: The Speakers at the conference
