ETH Enugu ’25 redefines builder gatherings in Africa; Nigeria’s first Ethereum Conference & pop-up city

ETH Enugu ’25 redefines builder gatherings in Africa; Nigeria’s first Ethereum Conference & pop-up city


The month of August 2025 will forever be stamped in history as a unique one, as ETH Enugu ’25 happened — a groundbreaking two-week Ethereum experience that blended a builder residency, pop-up city, and conference into one of the most ambitious blockchain events ever held in Africa — and the first ever Ethereum Conference in Nigeria.

With over 500 pop-up city participants, 50 residency fellows, 1,000+ conference attendees, and dozens of workshops and a hackathon, ETH Enugu ’25 positioned itself as Nigeria’s and Africa’s largest Ethereum-focused gathering, setting a new standard for how the global Web3 community collaborates and learns – a new blueprint for Ethereum gatherings in Africa.

Pre-ETH Enugu ‘25: The Genesis

ETH Enugu ‘25 didn’t just happen – becoming the heartbeat for Ethereum and L2 innovation in South East Nigeria, uniting builders, developers and dreamers to shape Web3 with local impact didn’t just come from thin air. Preceding ETH Enugu ‘25 were Ethereum University Tours across 3 universities in Nigeria, with workshops hosted by BuidlGuidl to the university students and researchers in these institutions (UNN, UNEC, ESUT). 

The spirit of ETH Enugu actually kick-started in 2024 with the hosting of the Ethereum Devcon satellite meetup post-devcon24 and it led on to birth bigger dreams.

Key Highlights of ETH Enugu ‘25

– Builder Residency (Aug 4–15)
The core of ETH Enugu ’25 was a two-week residency program with 300+ applications and 50 selected fellows — developers, researchers, designers, and founders — from Ghana, the United States, Kenya, Colombia, and across Nigerian cities including Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Anambra, Nsukka, and more

  • Daily collaboration jams, Workshops and Ethereum use-case sprints
  • IRL problem-solving with African communities

The residency created an environment where builders didn’t just discuss Ethereum’s future; they lived it.

– Pop-up City (Aug 4–15)
Surrounding the residency was the Pop-up City, an open builder playground for hundreds of local and international participants.

  • Hackathon, demo days, workshops, mentorship sessions, meetups and community-led sessions
  • Cultural exchanges and dinners bridging global and African builders

It felt like a city within a city – buzzing with laptops, sticky notes, cultural nights, and mentorship huddles happening side by side. A fluid, open environment where everyone could plug in – from first-time Web3 learners to experienced protocol teams.

– Conference (Aug 16)
The experience culminated in a 40+ speaker, 1,000+ attendee conference, bringing together residency fellows, researchers, builders, policymakers, and investors.

  • Keynotes and panels on scalability, DeFi, security, and Africa’s blockchain adoption
  • Showcase of hackathon projects and residency outcomes
  • Policy dialogues with government and ecosystem leaders

The conference was more than a closing ceremony – it was a moment of reflection for a community that had built and lived together for two weeks.

Beyond Work: Culture, Fun & Bonding

While ETH Enugu ’25 was packed with building, research, and collaboration, it wasn’t all work. Builder residents and pop up participants got to experience Enugu’s rich culture and natural beauty through guided tours to the National Museum of Unity, Awhum Waterfall, and the Ngwo Pine Forest.

Mornings often began with community fitness sessions that energized the day, while evenings created room for shared meals, music, and laughter. 

These moments of bonding ensured that ETH Enugu wasn’t just a conference, but a cultural experience that forged lasting friendships.

Global Gathering, Local Roots

ETH Enugu ’25 drew participants from across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, supported by international travel partnerships with Ethiopian Airlines and strong collaboration from local partners.

It was backed by the ecosystem, with support from:

  • Sponsors: Lisk, Avalanche, Sui Foundation
  • Local Ecosystem Backers: IoTeX, Jetpad Finance, Digitpay, Horus Labs, Sandbox DAO, Blockchain For Good Alliance (BGA) and even Ethiopian Airlines.
  • Public Sector Allies: Enugu State Government (via the Enugu SME Center & Office of the Digital Economy)
  • Dozens of grassroots Web3 communities

📸 Explore the full ETH Enugu ’25 photo archive here

Why ETH Enugu Matters

ETH Enugu ’25 wasn’t just a conference. It was a great Ethereum experiment, built around collaboration, research, and cultural exchange. By creating a space for builders to live, work, and learn together, the 2 week experience offered something few gatherings can: a complete builder-to-builder experience.

ETH Enugu is convened by Okoye Kevin Chibuoyim (Ezemmuo Blockchain), a longtime builder in Nigeria’s crypto space. He emphasized that the experience wasn’t done just by him alone but only became a reality with the backing of a strong contributor network to ETH Enugu that are committed to unlocking the full potential of the South-East, and connecting it directly to the Ethereum network.

What’s next? – Ethereum Research Village (ERV)

The Ethereum Research Village (ERV) will now debut post-ETH Enugu. It serves as a dedicated hub for deep experimentation and exploration, focused with Workshops on;

A hub where the technical met the practical in real time

Node operations, security, and blockchain infrastructure

Academic paper discussions and P2P networking experiments

See also: NDPC probe Moniepoint, Abeg, eTranzact over breach of Data Protection Act | Full list





Source: Technext24

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