A new paradigm of finance is being introduced to Africa. The Africa Digital Assets Summit (ADAS) will make its debut at the Catholic University of East Africa (CUEA) in Nairobi from the 29-30 of April 2026.
Convened under the theme Ethical Stewardship for the Love of the Poor, the Summit will bring together over a thousand participants, including policymakers, faith leaders, technologists, investors, and civil society actors, to tackle one of the most pressing questions of our time: how can digital innovation serve humanity? Informed by Dilexi Te, Pope Leo XIV Apostolic Exhortation on the Love of the Poor, and in the context of the Holy Father’s declaration of 2026 as the Year of St. Francis, the event presents a moment to reflect on the finance industry’s duty to uphold justice, dignity, and moral responsibility in a fast-changing world.
At the center of the conversation is Fred Ogola, economist, reformist, 2027 Liberal Democratic Party presidential aspirant, and the founder and convener of ADAS. Ogola’s vision is to empower those marginalized by the existing financial architecture, shaped by his Solomonic economics model where no one is left behind, challenging the top-down systems that keep wealth concentrated and the poor excluded. His mission is clear: “Africa needs to evolve to prosperity, for all African nations and African people to together birth the golden age of Africa and a new era for Kenya. With this Summit, Africa will eventually evolve to prosperity.”
The Summit puts Africa at the heart of the global discussion as blockchain technology adoption accelerates in tandem with decentralized finance. Across Africa, deep financial inequality runs rampant, and there is widespread sentiment that the current financial architecture is set up to work against the less fortunate. In fact, the Summit aligns with Africa’s collective vision to achieve region-wide prosperity in the coming decades, as embodied by the African Union 2063 agenda.
Importantly, the continent is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing digital finance markets. There is an opportunity to extend innovations to the many, not limit them to the select few. Now, as blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies, and tokenization continue to flourish, so too must ethical frameworks that promote equal accessibility.
As Ogola notes, “Africa’s economic story has been centered on the narrative of catching up. In fact, the Economic Financial Architecture was formed in 1945 when there was no single independent African country. Now, however, we can write the next chapter, one that is rooted in leading, not catching up.
Africa has the opportunity to leap from the margins of global finance to the forefront of its reinvention. Nairobi, widely renowned as the continent’s innovation hub, is the ideal setting to set the tone for this next chapter.”
