ABUJA, NIGERIA—July 5, 2026 —The Virtual Asset Service Providers Association (VASPA) has formally announced the appointment of its Founding Trustee and Lead Partner at Infusion Lawyers, Senator Ihenyen, as the inaugural Chairman of the newly established Ecosystem Growth & Advocacy Committee.
This appointment follows a strategic activation of VASPA’s recently created committees and working groups as announced last month.
The Mandate: Bridging Capital, Banking, and Web3
The Ecosystem Growth & Advocacy Committee has been designed as a high-leverage “action room” to accelerate commercial maturity and market integration across the continent. The committee’s primary mandate centers on the following:
- Institutional Frameworks: Directing high-level partnerships between native virtual asset entities and traditional banking, financial, and technology networks and platforms.
- Trust Architecture: Removing historical frictions to build deep operational trust between operators and traditional financial institutions, including promoting the growth of domestic platforms for global competitiveness.
- Capital Acceleration: Creating institutional corridors to attract global capital allocators into the African digital asset ecosystem.
By positioning a leading innovation lawyer and founding architect at the helm of the committee, VASPA aims to fast-track structural alignment and unlock dormant B2B remittance and liquidity pathways.
Perspective from the Chair
Commenting on his appointment, Senator Ihenyen highlighted the strategic positioning of the new committee as a bridge for cross-functional collaboration within the association’s governance framework:
“I believe the creation of the Ecosystem Growth & Advocacy Committee comes at a definitive turning point for Africa’s digital economy. Under the Franklin Peters-led executive leadership, our focus is clear: we are here to build a secure, frictionless pipeline where traditional banking rails and global investment capital interface with compliant virtual asset infrastructure.
“From a governance standpoint, this role allows me to roll up my sleeves and buckle my boots to drive ecosystem growth from the technical workbench. While my hands are fully active in this committee, my legs will remain firmly planted in the Board of Trustees to protect our institutional integrity. I look forward to collaborating closely with our other committee chairs for a positive impact in the ecosystem and ensure the achievement of our pan-African vision.”
Given his experience in the industry leadership domain since 2019, Ihenyen is expected to bring more strategic alignment to VASPA’s work in the ecosystem.
Operational Impact & Immediate Focus
As Chair, Ihenyen will immediately oversee the committee’s integration with ongoing flagship initiatives, ensuring that market growth strategies directly reinforce upcoming compliance rollouts, such as Project Green-White-Green and the V-SEED Startup Readiness Framework.
With this appointment, VASPA signals to regional regulators and global partners that its expansion is anchored by experienced, policy-driven leadership dedicated to structural competence and sovereign market alignment.
To indicate interest in joining the Ecosystem Growth & Advocacy Committee, interested persons—who must be registered members of the association—are encouraged to complete and submit the secure portal form here: VASPA Committee & Working Group Enrollment Form.
About VASPA:
The Virtual Asset Service Providers Association (VASPA) is a Pan-African industry body registered as an Incorporated Trustee with the Corporate Affairs Commission in Nigeria (CAC IT: 79069970) where it is headquartered. VASPA comprises individual, corporate, and institutional members from across Africa. For more information about us, please visit our website, www.vaspa.org. To become a Patron or Partner of VASPA, visit our Membership page: https://vaspa.org/become-a-member/. Individual and corporate members are also welcomed.
