Empowering Africa through Blockchain and NFTs – Technology – The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News

Iris Nevins’ Blockchain and NFT journey is captivating by any standards! As a woman in a male-dominated industry, Iris focuses on her contribution to the space rather than dwelling on potential limitations.

CEO Umba Daima’s determination and forward-thinking approach is evident as she continues to make her mark in the Blockchain and NFT world. Driven by her devotion to empowerment, equality and innovation, her passion for helping creators and promoting parity through technology is palpable as she shares her insights on the future of Blockchain and NFTs, especially in Africa.

Iris believes NFTs will go beyond mere artwork and become a primary method of storing and tracking various data, from medical records to legal documents and voting data. To fully exploit the potential of Blockchain in Africa, she emphasizes the importance of educating Africans about the technology, supporting innovators and improving infrastructure such as high-speed internet and access to computers.

MoveMint: Miss Nevins, can you talk about your background and how you found yourself in Blockchain with MoveMint’s readers?

Iris Nevins (IN): “In 2020, I launched an online art store that helped black artists in Africa and the Caribbean sell their artwork. Shortly after, I was introduced to NFTs by some classmates. I was blown away by the opportunities that NFTs gave creators, but noticed that success required education, visibility and community. So, together with my co-founder, we launched Black NFT Art to provide free promotion for Black/African NFT artists and to help them network and build relationships.”

MoveMint: With your background as an artist, where is the future of Blockchain technologies such as NFTs headed?

IN: “I’m not an artist like most professional artists are, so I want to be careful with that term. My background is actually in technology and education. NFTs will become the primary method of storing and tracking data, including medical records, legal documents, voice data, event records, user data, wills, deeds, etc. Its use goes far beyond works of art, but I consider works of art to continue to be one of the more in-depth use cases because of how powerful a tool it can be for intellectual property creators.”

MoveMint: Do you see Blockchain as a tool to reduce socio-economic inequality in Africa?

IN: “I think every tool can be used for both good and bad. I hope that Blockchain is used to liberate, empower and equalize, but it is up to the people, leaders and innovators of Africa to decide. It can just as easily be used to create more inequality, so ‘intention’ and ‘values’ are what really matter.”

MoveMint: From your point of view, how is Africa bridging the digital divide to reap the potential of Blockchain technology?

IN: “I think it is very important to empower and educate Africans in how to use technology for problem solving. Encouraging and supporting innovators who build technology is really important. And it is also necessary to improve the infrastructure. Investing in a robust infrastructure that supports high-speed internet will go a long way and is critical to helping people get access to laptops.”

MoveMint: What role does education and community building play in Blockchain adoption?

IN: “Any new technology will take time to adopt. And any technology that affects people’s finances should be learned very carefully to avoid unnecessary loss or suffering. So yes, absolutely, I think education is important. It should be in all forms, online, in person, courses, etc. And then it goes a long way to creating spaces where people can share what they learn, and teach each other.”

MoveMint: Let’s look at what kind of policies will give Africa opportunities to get maximum benefits from Blockchain?

IN: “I think policies that encourage innovation have positive consequences. In the US we have some pretty outdated regulations around investments, making it very difficult for those with less wealth to actually build wealth because we are not allowed to engage in “high risk” or “unregulated” investment activities. The intention may be good, but the impact is limiting for those of us who know what we are doing and have the ability to take those risks. When it comes to crypto specifically, I hope countries realize that they don’t have to stick to outdated rules. It’s okay to evolve and let go of rules that don’t fit the new direction. People want the freedom to do what they want with THEIR money.”

MoveMint: Finally, are there any challenges and biases against you as a woman in a male-dominated industry?

IN: “When people ask me this question, I always say, ‘I don’t know.’ I have never been openly mistreated or disrespected in this room for being a woman. Does my gender affect my opportunities, likely? Am I often in rooms with mostly men? Yes, all the time! But I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about what I might lose because of race or gender, and I try to stay hyper-focused on what I contribute to the room!”

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