Proposed location: Nairobi, Kenya
Nairobi stands as Africa’s blockchain innovation capital, where grassroots ingenuity merges with global technological ambition. With a thriving Ethereum ecosystem, world-class infrastructure, and a government actively fostering tech-driven economic growth, Nairobi offers a unique platform to unite Ethereum’s global community. Kenya has demonstrated its capacity to host events like ZuAfrique, EthSafari, Magma, Code Africa Conference, Ethereum Frontiers Africa, etc., while its developer talent pool and real-world blockchain applications position it as a catalyst for Ethereum’s next phase of global adoption.
Kenya is on the verge of a major regulatory milestone with the Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) Bill, which seeks to establish a clear legal framework for crypto businesses. Championed by the Blockchain Association of Kenya (BAK) in collaboration with policymakers, this bill will:
- Legitimize crypto exchanges and custodial services
- Enhance consumer protection while fostering innovation
- Align Kenya with global standards (FATF recommendations)
The Kenyan government has shown increasing openness to blockchain technology, with the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) exploring a CBDC (Digital Shilling) and the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) engaging with crypto startups. In a recent statement, BAK Chairperson Michael Kimani emphasized:
“Kenya is at an inflection point—crypto is no longer a fringe technology but a key driver of financial inclusion and economic growth. The VASP Bill will solidify Kenya’s position as Africa’s most progressive blockchain hub.”
By hosting Devcon VIII in Nairobi, the Ethereum Foundation can engage directly with regulators, policymakers, and innovators shaping Africa’s crypto future.
Crypto is not just a trend in Kenya, it’s a lifeline. With over 8.5 million Kenyans (16% of the population) owning crypto (Chainalysis 2023 Global Crypto Adoption Index), digital assets are solving real-world problems:
- Remittances: Kenya receives over $4B/year in remittances—crypto provides a faster, cheaper alternative to traditional channels.
- Inflation Hedge: With rising inflation and currency volatility, many Kenyans turn to stablecoins and Bitcoin to preserve wealth.
- DeFi for the Unbanked: Over 35% of Kenya’s population remains unbanked, yet mobile-based DeFi solutions are bridging this gap.
Ethereum’s smart contract capabilities are unlocking new opportunities in:
- Agricultural supply chains (tokenized crop financing)
- Cross-border trade (stablecoin settlements)
- Digital identity & land ownership (fighting fraud via blockchain)
Devcon VIII in Nairobi would amplify these innovations, bringing global builders into direct collaboration with African problem-solvers.
Country and Entry
1. What are the visa restrictions for the country?
Kenya offers a visa-on-arrival or e-Visa for most nationalities, with a straightforward online application process (Kenya e-Visa Portal). Many African countries enjoy visa-free entry, and Kenya has been working to ease travel for tech conferences.
2. How easy is the international access?
Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) is a major African hub with direct flights from:
- Europe (London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt)
- Middle East (Dubai, Doha)
- Asia (Mumbai, Guangzhou)
- Africa (Johannesburg, Lagos, Accra)
- The U.S. (New York via KQ’s direct flight)
3. What about the safety and political stability of the region?
Kenya is one of the most politically stable countries in Africa and the government actively supports tech conferences with enhanced security measures
4. How expensive are venue rentals, accommodation, food, and transport?
- Venues: Large conference centers (KICC, Sarit Centre) cost ~$50K–$150K for a week.
- Hotels: Range from $50/night (budget) to $300/night (luxury).
- Food: Affordable ($5–$15 per meal at restaurants).
- Transport: Uber/Bolt rides cost $5–$15 across the city.
5. When is the climate the best?
Nairobi enjoys a moderate, subtropical highland climate with warm days, cool nights, and two rainy seasons.
January – March
- Warm & dry (avg. 22–28°C / 72–82°F during the day).
- Minimal rain, low humidity.
- Perfect for outdoor networking events.
July – September - Cool & dry (avg. 18–24°C / 64–75°F).
- Crisp mornings, sunny afternoons.
- Great for post-conference safaris.
Rainy Seasons
- April – June (Long rains) – Heavy downpours, possible travel disruptions.
- October – November (Short rains) – Less intense but still unpredictable.
City and Venue
Nairobi is a dynamic, fast-growing African metropolis that blends cutting-edge innovation with vibrant culture, making it an ideal host for Devcon VIII. As East Africa’s tech and financial hub, Nairobi boasts a thriving Ethereum community, world-class conference venues, and progressive crypto regulations - all at a fraction of the cost of traditional conference locations. The city’s unique position as “Silicon Savannah” offers Devcon attendees unmatched opportunities to engage with real-world blockchain applications addressing financial inclusion, remittances, and digital identity, while enjoying Kenya’s renowned hospitality, stunning wildlife experiences just minutes from the city center, and direct flights from major global hubs. Nairobi represents not just a conference destination but a chance to connect with Ethereum’s future in the world’s fastest-growing crypto adoption market.
1. How easy is the transportation in the city (between venues, airport, etc.)?
- Efficient ride-hailing (Uber, Bolt, Little Cab).
- Dedicated conference shuttles can be arranged.
- JKIA Airport is 20–30 mins from major venues
2. Are there modern venues (WiFi/Maneuverability/Catering)?
Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC)
- Location: Central Nairobi (20 mins from airport)
- Capacity: Up to 8,000+ attendees (multiple halls, breakout rooms)
- WiFi: Enterprise-grade fiber (1Gbps+), backup generators
- Maneuverability: Spacious, escalators, ramps for accessibility
- Catering: In-house & external vendors (local & international cuisine)
- Bonus: Iconic rooftop with panoramic city views for networking
- Past Events: UN Assembly, Africa Climate Summit
- Website: kicc.co.ke
Sarit Expo Centre
- Location: Westlands (Nairobi’s tech & business hub)
- Capacity: 10,000+ (modular spaces for workshops/hackathons)
- WiFi: Dedicated high-speed (reliable for live streaming)
- Maneuverability: Open floor plans, easy crowd flow
- Catering: Partnered with 5-star hotels (e.g., Radisson Blu)
- Bonus: Adjacent to malls, hotels, and nightlife
- Website: saritcentre.com
Edge Convention Centre
- Capacity: 6,000
- Features: 2026 hybrid event tech, adjacent to Nairobi National Park
- Website: theedge.co.ke
The Radisson Blu Hotel (Upper Hill)
- Location:Upper Hill (secure diplomatic zone)
- Capacity: 3,000+ (luxury option for VIP tracks)
- WiFi: Stadium-level bandwidth (prioritized for conferences)
- Maneuverability: Ballrooms + outdoor terraces
- Website: Radisson Blu Nairobi
3. Are there venues with the capacity to host between 5-10k+ people?
The venues mentioned above have the capacity to host these numbers.
4. What are attractions in or around the city, and how close are they to the venue?
- Nairobi National Park (20 mins from KICC – safari in the city!).
- Giraffe Centre / David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage (15–30 mins).
- Maasai Market (art, crafts, culture).
- Westlands & Kilimani (vibrant nightlife, coworking spaces).
Ethereum Community and Impact
1. How does the Ethereum community look like in this region (e.g.: existing large community/ small but growing rapidly, etc.)?
Kenya has a strong community of builders deeply rooted as a gateway to bringing Africa Onchain, and this can be evidently seen by the great events and communities resident there.
-
ZuAfrique by AyaHQ: an event that stood as a groundbreaking initiative in Africa’s Web3 ecosystem, functioning as both a pop-up city event and a transformative movement designed to redefine the narrative around African builders and innovators. From April 15 to May 6, 2025, this three-week immersive experience took place in Kilifi, Kenya, bringing together a diverse community of developers, entrepreneurs, investors, and thought leaders to explore the future of blockchain technology and decentralized solutions across the continent. You can read the general and impact reports here.
Website: zuafrique.com -
EthSafari: an annual Ethereum-focused event in Kenya, blends hackathons, conferences, and cultural immersion to showcase Africa’s role in Web3 innovation. EthSafari distinguishes itself by emphasizing community-driven agendas, allowing local groups to host side events, and fostering serendipitous collaborations between global Ethereum developers and African startups. Website: ethsafari.xyz
-
AyaHQ x Lisk Founders Summit: This was the culminating event of the AyaHQ x Lisk Incubation Program, a pioneering initiative designed to empower African Web3 founders and accelerate the continent’s Onchain innovation. Hosted in early 2025 at the newly launched AyaHQ x Lisk Builders Hub in Kilifi, Kenya, the summit brought together a cohort of promising founders, investors, mentors, and ecosystem leaders for a week of intensive programming, collaboration, and reflection. The Summit was not only a showcase of the 12 top projects that graduated from the 14-week incubation program but also a celebration of the broader movement to foster sustainable, community-driven blockchain solutions across Africa. You can read more from the report here
-
Magma Residency: Magma Residency, hosted by Borderless Africa, is a 12-day in-person program in Kenya designed to accelerate Africa’s Web3 ecosystem by uniting founders building decentralized financial solutions. The residency offers hands-on mentorship from global experts, technical workshops on smart contracts and tokenomics, and access to grants or investment opportunities.
Website: borderless.africa/magma -
Web3 Clubs: Web3 Clubs champions blockchain adoption across Africa by establishing educational hubs in universities and tech communities. Through partnerships with Lisk, the organization provides bootcamps, hackathons, and certification programs to equip developers with skills in smart contract deployment and decentralized application development.
Website: https://www.web3clubs.io/ -
Code Africa Conference: The Code Africa Conference, held annually in Nairobi, serves as a tech event blending blockchain, AI, and IoT innovation. The event bridges technical skill-building with strategic networking, offering free access to keynote talks, exhibitions, and awards ceremonies.
Website: codeafrica.io -
Ethereum Frontiers Africa: hosted by Borderless Africa in Nairobi on May 12, 2024, marked a milestone in bridging Ethereum’s global infrastructure with Africa’s grassroots innovation. The event convened over 500 participants, including Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin, core developers, researchers, and African Web3 founders, for discussions on scaling Ethereum’s utility for a billion users.
2. What is the potential of Ethereum to have an impact in that region?
In economies facing currency volatility like Kenya’s, people deeply grasp the value of sound money. This creates fertile ground for blockchain innovation, as communities actively seek alternatives to hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty.
Ethereum presents transformative potential to tackle East Africa’s most urgent socio-economic challenges, particularly in:
- Financial inclusion (35M+ unbanked Kenyans)
- Cross-border trade ($4B/year remittance market)
- Transparent governance (land registries, supply chains)
With 60% of East Africa’s population under 25 and mobile penetration at 130%, the region is primed for Ethereum-powered solutions. Kenya’s leadership in crypto adoption (ranked #1 in Africa for P2P trading) sets the pace for the entire continent and is a strong vote of confidence that blockchain technology is here to stay.
- How is hosting events in that city benefiting the Ethereum ecosystem?
At the community level, bringing Devcon to Nairobi would provide rocket fuel to Kenya’s already vibrant Ethereum developer scene. The event would serve as an unprecedented gathering point for Africa’s top blockchain builders to connect with global Ethereum leaders, fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration opportunities that rarely exist across continents. Local developers currently working in relative isolation would gain direct access to core protocol teams, potentially leading to more African-led contributions to Ethereum’s core infrastructure. The inspirational effect of seeing global Ethereum leaders engage with local projects could trigger a new wave of homegrown innovation.
For Ethereum’s global ecosystem, Nairobi offers something far more valuable than just another conference venue - it provides a living laboratory of blockchain solutions addressing pressing real-world challenges. From mobile-first DeFi platforms serving the unbanked to blockchain-based land registries combating corruption, Kenyan projects demonstrate Ethereum’s utility in contexts that differ dramatically from Western markets. Hosting Devcon here would expose the global community to these innovative use cases, potentially inspiring new directions for Ethereum development that prioritize accessibility, financial inclusion, and practical utility. The cross-pollination of ideas between Kenyan builders solving local problems and global teams working on protocol improvements could yield breakthroughs in scalability, UX, and adoption strategies.
On the regulatory front, the prestige of a major Ethereum event would significantly boost ongoing efforts to create clearer crypto policies across Africa. Kenya’s Blockchain Association has been making remarkable progress in shaping balanced regulation through the VASP Bill, and Devcon’s presence would amplify these efforts by demonstrating Ethereum’s positive economic impact. The event could facilitate high-level dialogues between Ethereum leaders and East African policymakers, potentially creating a regulatory model for other African nations to follow. This could accelerate the establishment of Ethereum-friendly policies across the continent’s 54 countries.
Economically, hosting Devcon in Nairobi would challenge prevailing narratives about Africa’s role in the blockchain technology ecosystem. By bringing thousands of international attendees to Kenya, the event would showcase Nairobi’s world-class tech infrastructure while driving significant investment into local Ethereum projects. The resulting economic boost could validate crypto as a legitimate growth sector, attracting more traditional investors to African blockchain ventures. Perhaps most importantly, it would position Ethereum - rather than competing chains - as the default platform for Africa’s blockchain revolution.
The long-term network effects could be extraordinary. Nairobi’s position as East Africa’s business hub means Devcon’s impact wouldn’t stop at Kenya’s borders. Attendees from across Africa would return to their home countries with new skills, connections, and inspiration to grow their local Ethereum communities. The event could plant seeds for Ethereum ecosystems in dozens of African nations, much like early Ethereum events in Europe and North America helped spawn thriving regional communities. With Africa’s population projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, establishing Ethereum as the continent’s blockchain foundation today could pay dividends for decades to come.
Ultimately, hosting Devcon in Nairobi represents more than just a conference location choice - it’s a strategic investment in Ethereum’s future as a truly global platform. By engaging directly with one of the world’s most dynamic emerging crypto markets, Ethereum would gain invaluable insights into serving diverse populations while empowering local innovators who understand their communities’ unique needs. The event could mark a turning point where Ethereum transitions from being a technology primarily shaped by developed nations to one that’s co-created by builders worldwide, with Africa playing a central role in its evolution. In this sense, Nairobi offers Ethereum not just a venue, but a vision of its future as the foundation for a more inclusive digital economy.
Concerns and Downsides
Every location has its pros and cons. It’s important to also consider the potential downsides.
What are possible risks and downsides?
Hosting Devcon in Nairobi presents exciting opportunities, but like any major international event, it comes with potential challenges. The good news? Each risk has a clear, actionable solution—and Nairobi’s proven track record with large-scale tech conferences demonstrates these hurdles are easily surmountable.
Risk: Logistical Complexities
Solution:
- Partner with dedicated shuttle services (as done for UN conferences) to ensure punctual transport.
- Schedule events in central clusters (e.g., Westlands/Sarit Centre area) to minimize travel time.
- Use real-time traffic apps (like Google Maps integrated with event platforms) for live updates.
Risk: Power/Internet Reliability
Solution:
- Venues like KICC and Sarit Centre have backup generators and enterprise-grade fiber (tested during past events).
- Deploy local Starlink stations as redundancy for critical streams.
- Work with Kenya’s tech community (e.g., Liquid Telecom) to prioritize Devcon’s bandwidth.
Risk: Visa Delays for Attendees
Solution:
- Collaborate with Kenya’s Ministry of Interior to fast-track e-Visas for Devcon attendees (precedent: 2024 Africa Climate Summit).
- Provide official invitation letters early to simplify applications.
Risk: Perception of Safety
Solution:
- Host events in secured zones with private security and police cooperation.
- Share safety guides to reassure attendees.
Nairobi isn’t just ready to host Devcon VIII, it’s the forge where Ethereum’s future is being hammered into reality. Nairobi offers Devcon a front-row seat to Web3’s next frontier, showcasing Africa’s builder potential. Here, Devcon will transcend an event, becoming a catalyst for globally informed, locally rooted innovation.