Key Takeaways
- • Panelists at the Africa Blockchain Festival 2026 in Nairobi said tokenisation could widen access to property, shares and other real-world assets for African investors, but only if the rights represented by each token are clearly defined.
- • Gideon Gitonga of Block Op Sacco said tokenised shares, which he called "blocks", can be bought through M-PESA, so users do not need to manage crypto wallets.
- • Sarah Wahinya of Zcash said recording an asset on a blockchain does not establish that the asset is real, and called for independent audits and clearer token ownership policies.
- • Dagem Derese of Fanus Markets estimated the potential tokenised asset market could reach $2 trillion or even $10 trillion by 2030, linking growth to regulation, stability, trust and liquidity.
- • Eddie Kagho of Untugrow urged investors to verify a project's physical office, principals, licences and token contract address before committing money.
Summary
Tokenisation of real-world assets could give more African investors access to property, shares and other assets, but the rights represented by each token must be clearly defined, according to speakers at the Africa Blockchain Festival 2026 in Nairobi, as reported by TechTrendsKE. Gideon Gitonga of Block Op Sacco described tokenisation as a way of representing ownership rights on a blockchain ledger, building on earlier methods of recording ownership from physical possession and paper registries to electronic and shared digital ledgers. He said a real-world asset can be anything a person owns, including land, shares, bonds or gold.
The panel, which also included Eddie Kagho of Untugrow, Dagem Derese of Fanus Markets and Sarah Wahinya of Zcash, examined how blockchain records could widen access to investments while addressing legal ownership, asset verification and investor protection. Derese said an immutable ledger can reduce forgery, while Wahinya cautioned that tokenising an asset does not automatically establish that the underlying asset is real, calling for independent audits and clearer policies defining token ownership. Gitonga said property can be transferred to a trust so that token buyers become beneficial owners, a structure he said addresses how token holders' interests are recognised.
On access, Gitonga said Block Op Sacco's tokenised shares can be purchased through M-PESA, with the underlying blockchain system abstracted from the customer. He used a KSh5 million house to illustrate fractional participation, saying an investor could hold an interest associated with the property for KSh100,000 and receive rental income. Kagho cautioned against unrealistic expectations around very small fractions, arguing collective ownership could be more practical in some cases, and pointed to agricultural invoice financing as an opportunity within about three years. Derese put the potential market at $2 trillion or even $10 trillion by 2030.
On investor protection, Kagho urged prospective investors to check whether a project has a physical office, identify who is behind it, examine licences and verify the associated contract address. Gitonga said Kenya's virtual asset regulatory framework addresses market concerns, and Derese argued regulation supports stability, trust and liquidity. The panel's overall message was that tokenisation could widen access to African assets, but trusted markets depend on clear ownership arrangements, due diligence and regulation.
The panel, which also included Eddie Kagho of Untugrow, Dagem Derese of Fanus Markets and Sarah Wahinya of Zcash, examined how blockchain records could widen access to investments while addressing legal ownership, asset verification and investor protection. Derese said an immutable ledger can reduce forgery, while Wahinya cautioned that tokenising an asset does not automatically establish that the underlying asset is real, calling for independent audits and clearer policies defining token ownership. Gitonga said property can be transferred to a trust so that token buyers become beneficial owners, a structure he said addresses how token holders' interests are recognised.
On access, Gitonga said Block Op Sacco's tokenised shares can be purchased through M-PESA, with the underlying blockchain system abstracted from the customer. He used a KSh5 million house to illustrate fractional participation, saying an investor could hold an interest associated with the property for KSh100,000 and receive rental income. Kagho cautioned against unrealistic expectations around very small fractions, arguing collective ownership could be more practical in some cases, and pointed to agricultural invoice financing as an opportunity within about three years. Derese put the potential market at $2 trillion or even $10 trillion by 2030.
On investor protection, Kagho urged prospective investors to check whether a project has a physical office, identify who is behind it, examine licences and verify the associated contract address. Gitonga said Kenya's virtual asset regulatory framework addresses market concerns, and Derese argued regulation supports stability, trust and liquidity. The panel's overall message was that tokenisation could widen access to African assets, but trusted markets depend on clear ownership arrangements, due diligence and regulation.
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