LAGOS, Nigeria — In a strategic move designed to evolve Africa’s role from global technology consumer to a primary architect of its financial future, the Virtual Asset Service Providers Association (VASPA) has unveiled “The 2026 Builders Accord”. More than a document, the Accord is a continental blueprint designed to secure Africa’s economic future through digital asset leadership. The comprehensive framework, forged during a high-level Builders’ Mastermind Lunch event in December 2025, represents a binding commitment to action from Africa’s digital asset industry players.
The Accord is not a mere industry manifesto, but a shared operating mandate establishing concrete steps, governance structure, and accountability mechanisms to transform Africa’s virtual asset ecosystem by 2027.
“This Accord represents our move beyond dialogue to deployment and beyond advocacy to architecture,” says Buki Ogunsakin, VASPA’s Vice Chair for Programs and Communications. “Our objective is to build a globally competitive ecosystem in 2026 that serves as Africa’s economic engine. Builders must be a part of this because the alternative is repeating the cycle of value leakage we witnessed in consumer fintech.”
The statement reinforces the whole point of the Accord: Africa needs to make a binding commitment to action.
To ensure the Accord leads to tangible results, VASPA has embedded governance standards into the framework. “Signatory organizations are required to appoint a C-Level ‘Accord Champion’ and participate in quarterly progress reviews to track collective goals,” explained Beverly Agbakoba-Onyejianya, VASPA’s Vice Chair, Corporate Governance.
“We are mandating internal accountability,” she added. This ensures that commitments translate into measurable outcomes, transforming aspiration into achievement.
The private sector’s role is solidified through formal endorsements, with companies pledging resources to the collective cause. Franklin Peters, CEO of Boundlesspay, one of the early signatories to the Accord, spoke to the necessity of this unified front.
“As builders, we recognize that our greatest risk is not external competition, but our own internal fragmentation and short-term thinking,” Peters remarked. “By signing this Accord, we are entering a covenant to prioritize collective advancement over individual advantage. Boundlesspay is committed to the Accord’s mandate, including allocating at least 1% of our annual R&D budget specifically to the interoperability and standardization initiatives that will build Africa’s continental railway”.
The Accord revolves around five strategic focus areas architectured to position Africa as a global leader in digital finance.
The Accord challenges African builders to develop products that compete on the global stage, using local markets as a launchpad rather than a destination. This pillar emphasizes moving beyond solutions that merely replicate existing models, to designing innovative platforms that contribute to the global standards.
Central to the initiative is the establishment of a “Passport Licensing Regime” that enables virtual asset providers to operate seamlessly across African markets. “Sovereignty requires a harmonized architecture,” explained Beverley Agbakoba-Onyejianya. “By committing to a unified regulatory voice, we are transforming regulation into a competitive advantage.”
The Accord will be submitted for consideration to the African Union Commission, the AfCFTA Secretariat, and various Central Banks across Africa, establishing a coordination approach to digital asset regulation.
The Accord introduces Version 1.0 of the African Virtual Asset Interoperability Standard (AVAIS), covering API standards and smart contract templates. The shared infrastructure ensures that all platforms can communicate and transact seamlessly.
This initiative recognizes that sustainable growth is only possible with financial resources and human capital. As a result, the Accord establishes a framework to attract institutional capital while developing a “Digital Asset Talent Corps” of 1,000 trained professionals. The de-risked ecosystem creates pathways for both investment and career development in Africa’s digital asset sector.
At the foundation of the Accord is the imperative for builders to define and develop digital currency infrastructure that is not only resilient but also globally competitive, strategically keeping value within the continent, while ensuring accessibility, liquidity, and interoperability. Africa must commit to control its financial destiny.
Adedeji Owonibi, a Trustee of VASPA who currently chairs the Steering Committee of the association, encourages builders to identify with the initiative, noting that “The Builders Accord arrives at a moment of need for extraordinary strategic regulatory convergence in Africa. I enjoin all builders on the continent to join.”
Senator Ihenyen, current Executive Chair of the Steering Committee of VASPA observed that “in Africa, we have seen how fragmented, locally-focused strategies in the past yielded only temporary gains”. With the 2026 Builders Accord, “we are ensuring that African builders lead the design of the systems they use, moving from mere tokens to digital platforms and ecosystems that not only keep value within the continent, but also create lasting value for the globe”, he said.
Clearly, the emergence of virtual assets is not merely another technological wave but an innovation that Africa needs to leverage to transform its financial and economic infrastructure, “smartly safeguarding strategic sovereignty”, in the words of the VASPA leader. And VASPA is not afraid to help define and develop the much-needed bridge block by block, in collaboration with African builders.
The Accord identifies a “Moment of Choice” for developers, founders, and virtual asset service providers across the continent. By joining the initiative, builders gain access to:
Collective Voice: Representation in discussions with the African Union Commission, AfCFTA Secretariat, and Central Banks.
As the journey towards 2027 begins, neutrality is itself a position. It’s an increasingly untenable one. Builders must choose: help define the emerging financial architecture, or navigate a landscape shaped entirely by external forces.
VASPA invites all virtual asset providers, fintech innovators, and digital asset builders across Africa to join this historic initiative. The Accord is more than a framework; it is a covenant for Africa’s economic future.
Request a copy of the 2026 Builders Accord and explore endorsement opportunities by contacting VASPA via email.
The Virtual Asset Service Providers Association (VASPA), founded in September 2024 and headquartered in Nigeria, is the premier Africa-focused advocacy group for the virtual asset industry. Our mission is to foster innovation, harmonize regulation, and build a safe and thriving virtual asset ecosystem across the African continent. 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/. VASPA also welcomes individual and corporate members.
On December 10, 2025, the Virtual Asset Service Providers Association (VASPA) convened a select group of industry leaders in the fintech and virtual asset space under the Chatham House Rule to discuss the future of the African VASP landscape. The objective of this meeting was to develop the 2026 Builders Accord, a coordinated action plan to de-risk, scale, and secure the ecosystem.
On December 10, 2025, the Virtual Asset Service Providers Association (VASPA) convened a select group of industry leaders in the fintech and virtual asset space under the Chatham House Rule to discuss the future of the African VASP landscape. The objective of this meeting was to develop the 2026 Builders Accord, a coordinated action plan to de-risk, scale, and secure the ecosystem.
Join us in shaping the future of virtual assets in Africa! Connect with the Virtual Asset Service Providers Association (VASPA) to drive innovation, foster collaboration, and build a trusted, thriving ecosystem for blockchain and digital assets.
