NAIROBI, Kenya- In a bold push to revolutionize payment systems across Africa, Block Inc., a global leader in financial technology, recently announced the winners of its TBD Hackathon.
Held in partnership with the Africa Bitcoin Conference, the competition invited developers to tackle the continent’s most pressing financial challenges using TBD’s open-source money protocol, tbDEX.
With creativity and technical prowess on full display, the event underscored Africa’s growing role in shaping the future of global financial solutions.
At the heart of the TBD Hackathon stood Blink, a groundbreaking decentralized wallet application developed by Nigerian innovator Emmanuel Kufre.
This winning project took home the $15,000 grand prize in Bitcoin, impressing judges with its potential to transform Africa’s $28 billion gig economy.
Blink offers freelancers a seamless way to accept payments from around the globe, bypassing traditional banking hurdles and high transaction fees. Currently in beta across five countries, the platform promises a brighter financial future for Africa’s growing freelancer community.
“The level of creativity and technical expertise showcased during the TBD Hackathon has been truly inspiring,” said Angie Jones, Global VP of Developer Relations at Block.
“These teams have tackled some of the biggest challenges facing pan-African payment systems and presented solutions that could redefine how people transact.”
While Blink took the top honors, other standout projects also earned accolades. tbDEX Go, developed by Andrew Glago and Eloke Ikiliagwu, secured the $10,000 second prize in Bitcoin for its local payment solution designed for travelers and tourists navigating Africa.
Meanwhile, Igbigi, created by Achego Tamunobelema and Fabari Agbora, claimed the $5,000 third prize in Bitcoin with its privacy-focused app enabling instant app-to-bank and app-to-app transfers.
Farida Bemba Nabourema, Convener of the Africa Bitcoin Conference, praised the hackathon’s participants for addressing key financial issues like inclusion, cross-border payments, and transparency.
“The immense talent showcased here highlights the incredible potential of Africa’s Bitcoin ecosystem,” she noted.
Beyond the cash prizes, the TBD Hackathon highlighted Block Inc.’s dedication to fostering a thriving open-source developer community.
Despite the winding down of its TBD business, Block continues to champion decentralized identity work through its collaboration with the Decentralized Identity Foundation.
From addressing financial inclusion to innovating cross-border payment solutions, the TBD Hackathon proved that Africa’s tech talent is a force to be reckoned with—and that the continent’s future in fintech innovation is brighter than ever.
