Blockchain is a secure and transparent way of making financial transactions and is often used in the context of cryptocurrencies.
In Africa, blockchain is transforming the payments landscape by providing a more efficient and secure way of transferring and receiving money; and one of the entrepreneurs at the forefront of this evolution is 19-year-old founder and blockchain engineer, Emmanuel Njoku who is using blockchain technology to solve some of the biggest problems around Africa’s payment infrastructure.
Emmanuel Njoku is the CEO and co-founder of Lazerpay, a payment platform that enables creatives and businesses to accept payments globally. Njoku’s mission is “to build solutions that leverage blockchain technology.”
He is currently doing this through Lazerpay by making cryptocurrency payments easy and accessible to people and businesses all over Africa.
From the young age of 13 when Njoku became fascinated about programming after his aunt, a Robotics Engineer introduced it to him, till now, Njoku’s story has been consistent around determination, growth, and innovation even in the face of opposition.
He gained admission to study Electrical Engineering at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), and after his first year in the institution, he realized that engineering was not his calling; so he dropped out of school, studied hard, trained himself to become a Software Engineer and started working with leading tech companies by the age of 16.
“My father’s ambition for me was to become a medical doctor; to find a job where I would be well paid, and my life would be “secured,” but that wasn’t my dream. I just wanted to create tech solutions that could solve problems,” he recounts.
Travelling across Africa, Njoku has experienced payment challenges that revealed how broken the financial systems are, compared to how seamless payments are in Europe and America.
This gave Njoku a purpose; “to change how money and payment operate in Africa.”
His company, Lazerpay has recently raised over $1M to enable them to create solutions that will change how payments are processed in Africa, promote financial inclusion, and accelerate the adoption of cryptocurrency in Africa.
Njoku’s experience in blockchain spans four years, and this has allowed him to see the potential of blockchain technology in Africa.
He believes that Lazerpay can play a role in reducing the cost of remittances, increase financial inclusion, and provide a more secure and efficient way of handling payments.
So far, Lazerpay has been successful in its mission to provide a better payment experience for creators and businesses in Africa, having already processed hundreds of thousands of dollars in transactions in its few months of operation.
By creating a blockchain-powered technology, the startup can achieve swift and seamless payment processing that is accessible to everyone.
This not only saves creatives and business owners time and money but also helps to build trust and increase transparency in Africa’s payment infrastructure.
What is exciting about Njoku’s work is that it could have a huge impact on Africa’s economy.
By making it easier for Africans to conduct transactions, Lazerpay is empowering users to participate in the global economy and create wealth for themselves and their families in the long run.
Emmanuel Njoku has a big ambition: to change Africa’s payment infrastructure using blockchain technology.
So far, the 19-year-old is well on his way and is constantly inspiring young people to take the lead on creating solutions for the continent. With his innovative ideas and passion for change, Njoku is sure to make an even bigger impact in the years to come.
