Bitcoin adoption in Africa has always faced a unique set of challenges—low internet penetration, financial exclusion, and linguistic diversity, to name a few. Yet, these very challenges have birthed some of the most innovative solutions. Enter Kgothatso Ngako, a South African developer who saw these barriers not as roadblocks but as an opportunity to reimagine access. From Exonumia, a project translating Bitcoin literature into African languages, to Machankura, a game-changing service that enables Bitcoin transactions via USSD, Kgothatso has been at the forefront of making Bitcoin usable for the everyday African.
In this edition of the Onyx Africa Founder Series, we sit down with Kgothatso to explore his journey into the Bitcoin rabbit hole, the philosophy driving his work, and what the future of Bitcoin in Africa might look like…
Kgothatso, to kick things off, take us back to the beginning of your journey in the Bitcoin space. Your project, Exonumia, was one of the foundational platforms you built. Could you share the story of how Exonumia came to life, what it meant back then compared to now, and where you see it headed?
Before I went down the Bitcoin rabbit hole I was looking up options on how one could best invest their disposable income. The main lesson was to make long term investments (which is a great way of preserving value when done correctly but identifying what is a good long term investment isn’t obvious for most people).
Once I fell down the Bitcoin rabbit hole I realized that it has the technical properties to continue functioning well into the long term future. And it’s only a matter of how much an individual would like to allocate to Bitcoin over the long term.
I always wanted to have this conversation with as many people as possible but realized that I would need to get rid of the language barrier to have this conversation freely in the neighbourhood I grew up in. And so exonumia.africa was started to translate Bitcoin literature into African languages.
Moving on to Machankura—what was it that sparked the idea? Tell us about that moment or experience that inspired you to take on this mission, and how you envision the Machankura story unfolding.
I wanted to be able to send Bitcoin to anyone I met. And most people I met didn’t have internet connected devices. So Machankura was born.
In terms of bridging digital access, only around 30% of Africans have regular internet access. Do you feel that limited access is a core reason for Machankura’s existence? And on that note, how do platforms like azte.co, Bitrefill, and Taisys align with your vision of an Africa where access is more inclusive.
Yes. Platforms like azte.co perform a valuable task of making Bitcoin accessible to the normal consumer. Bitrefill makes it easy for people to live on Bitcoin. Taisys creates technology that allow people to do more on their sim cards.
Let’s dive into the custodial aspect of Machankura. Operating as a custodial service has unique advantages and trade-offs—what would you say is the biggest challenge with this approach? And since Machankura aims to transition to a non-custodial model in the future, what steps would that shift involve, especially regarding development and any regulatory hurdles you foresee?
The biggest hurdle for any Bitcoin wallet has nothing to do with whether it’s custodial or self-custodial. The biggest hurdle is always how do you approach someone who hasn’t ever used Bitcoin and have them make their first transaction. The technicalities of custodial to self-custodial are just an implementation detail but at the end of the day the user interface will have to behave the same.
During your presentation at the Bitcoin Conference this year, you had some unique critiques of the way self-sovereignty is presented in The Sovereign Individual. I found that particularly interesting! Can you tell us more about your approach to self-sovereignty? What does your framework for achieving it look like?
Self-sovereignty is best propelled by one fixing all the problems you have faced that you wouldn’t ever want anyone else to experience.
On the tech side, what went into the design and vision behind Machankura’s website, 8333.mobi? The name is intriguing and must have some significance.
8333 is the default Bitcoin port. We are just trying to be the default port of Bitcoin on any mobile device.
Looking at the bigger picture, how do you see Bitcoin influencing the global financial landscape, and what unique role might it play within Africa’s economic future? And as someone deeply involved in the space, where do you think Bitcoin is currently positioned on this journey?
As a unit of account, Bitcoin will allow anyone who chooses to use it to budget for long-term projects the possibility of being under budget as NumberGoUp over the long term.
Would you say you’re a Bitcoin maximalist? Is there room in your vision for other cryptocurrencies, or does Bitcoin hold a unique place?
I don’t see a reason to use any other cryptocurrencies. If there is a technical reason that is actually valuable then it’s a question of how would one perform the same technical tasks on Bitcoin, really no need to adopt a new token for a simple technical use case (and really no reason to adopt a token for a technically complex use case too, as complexity is usually bad for the long term).
South Africa has had initiatives like Bitcoin Ekasi, which provide an early look at what a Bitcoin-centered economy could be like. How do you view such initiatives, and what role do you think they play in laying down the blueprint for Bitcoin’s adoption in Africa?
Projects like Bitcoin Ekasi do a wonderful job at highlighting how you would still need a strong community for you to truly benefit from the tool that is Bitcoin.
Earlier this year, we experienced the fourth Bitcoin halving, which of course, is a major event in the Bitcoin ecosystem. Knowing that past halvings have historically led to significant increases in Bitcoin’s value, what’s your perspective on this recent halving? Where do you see Bitcoin’s value headed in the near term and long term?
The Bitcoin exchange rate is really the least interesting aspect of Bitcoin. It’s more interest to wonder how many people would be using Bitcoin on a daily in the near/long term. Over the near term, I foresee Bitcoin usage doubling. In the long term I see everyone using Bitcoin on a daily basis.
On that note, I have to ask—what do you think Bitcoin’s price will be in 2030, 2050, and 2100?
I think Bitcoin’s exchange rate will be anywhere between 0 and infinity in any year in the future.
Bitcoin’s potential is often shaped by how it’s communicated to the masses, especially by those with influence in the space. From your perspective, what’s the most impactful way for incumbents who are beginning to adopt Bitcoin to present Bitcoin to drive meaningful adoption across Africa? How can we bridge the understanding gap for people who may see Bitcoin as complex or risky, and instead, make it something relatable and empowering?
Bitcoin is just a tool. The question is why would a person in need of a tool like Bitcoin not be using Bitcoin already?
Given the smart cards you’re planning to introduce, do you think the future of tech adoption in Africa will need more investment in physical hardware? Is a fully digital future possible here, or will tangible, accessible tech solutions continue to play a key role in bridging the gap?”
There is a need for more investment in energy production.
In times of political uncertainty and social unrest—such as the genocide unfolding in Palestine—what role do you believe Bitcoin can play? How can it serve as a tool for resilience or empowerment in such challenging environments?
There is wonderful work being done by organizations like Bitcoin For Palestine as even in the worst of times life must still go on and they are able to continue accepting donations for food and shelter through Bitcoin.
ICOs (i.e., initial coin offerings) were once touted as the “next big thing” in the crypto space, yet they seemed to rise quickly and then fade. What do you think led to the demise of ICOs? Were they simply a stepping stone to even greater narratives?
ICOs are a great example of why people should be Bitcoin only. Most of the time people don’t know enough about a topic to differentiate between a legitimate project and a scam. And so most of the time people will get scammed by what appears is the current hot topic. Which is why I think making Bitcoin a consumer technology is even more important. Make it more accessible and usable to normal people and make it simple enough that a person who has enough time can learn all they need to know to differentiate but a legitimate project and a scam.
And finally, when it comes to crypto and blockchain in the African context, where do you see the space evolving in the coming years? What are the biggest opportunities and challenges for Africa in this space, and what role do you see Machankura playing in that future?
I don’t pay enough attention to the crypto and blockchain ecosystem across Africa to have an opinion on it.
Machankura aims to accelerate the adoption of Bitcoin across the continent, we hope to see Billions of African’s using Bitcoin on a daily basis in the near future.
Kgothatso’s work challenges a long-held assumption in tech—that internet access is a prerequisite for financial innovation. With Machankura, he’s proving that Bitcoin’s adoption in Africa doesn’t have to wait for infrastructure catch-up; instead, it can evolve in tandem with the realities on the ground. His vision is refreshingly pragmatic—Bitcoin isn’t about hype, price speculation, or maximalist ideology; it’s a tool, and tools are only as powerful as their usability.
As adoption scales, projects like Machankura will be critical in shaping Bitcoin’s real-world utility in Africa. It’s not just about giving people an alternative financial system; it’s about making sure that system actually works for them. And if Kgothatso has anything to do with it, Bitcoin in Africa won’t just be an investment—it’ll be an everyday experience.