Mara, a digital financial ecosystem project, is set to back 2 million potential users in Nigeria with a new cryptocurrency wallet.
It will provide users with crypto brokerage services via an app for buying, selling, and transferring both cryptocurrencies and fiat money. Using the app, people can also receive education on personal wealth management and cryptocurrencies, the company added.
Major companies such as Coinbase Ventures and Alameda Research support the initiative, which offers users to use the platform via an invitation-only onboarding process, which kicked off on Wednesday.
The project, currently valued at $23 million after fundraising from the two backing firms, Huobi, and others, will also take on users from Kenya and Ghana in due course.
Hello folks,👋
— GDG Nairobi #DevFestNairobi (@GDG_Nairobi) October 13, 2022
We are thrilled to announce the Web 3 Developer Roadshow brought to you by Mara Foundation & Circle, happening across Nigeria & Kenya.
The show will include hands-on workshops, panel sessions, talks on blockchain & much more 🤩
Link: https://t.co/BMcGiC6S4L pic.twitter.com/7b4dgJEAwj
Mara also plans to work with Google Developer Group’s Nairobi branch for a Web3 Developer Roadshow set to take place on 29 October, complete with workshops, panel talks, and discussions on emerging tech.
What is the Mara Foundation?
The Mara Foundation is a designated nonprofit aiming to support the sustainable development of blockchain use cases across the African continent, partnered with USD Coin (USDC), with Circle and Euro Coin (EUROC) facilitating the adoption of stablecoins.
The news comes as Mara targets one million developers in Africa for training with an initial “Hack the Mara” hackathon in September to build development systems for Kenya’s Maasai communities and conservation projects for the Maasai Mara, a massive wildlife reserve in the East African nation.
Some throwback pictures from our successful ‘Hack the Mara’ hackathon in Nairobi last month.#throwbackthursday pic.twitter.com/JcyH0WkWCM
— Chi Nnadi (@chi_maraverse) October 20, 2022
The hackathon awarded three of 24 teams with shares of $100,000 in prizes along with a further accelerator programme for developing products and solutions.
The organisation also opened a Mara Academy for free education initiatives for Web3 and blockchain technologies, offering certification to mentor other aspiring developers for the programme.