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Adaaku Peter Jnr, co-founder and CEO of Blockfuse Labs, discussed in an exclusive interview the company’s recent partnership with various organizations in Jos, Plateau State, aimed at fostering the tech ecosystem development with Nana Theresa Timothy of ITEdgenews.
Can you briefly tell us the focus of the partnership and how it aligns with Blockfuse Labs’ goals?
One of our main goals at Blockfuse Labs is to train existing Web 2.0 developers into Web 3.0 developers. However, since launching the program, we realized that there aren’t enough competent Web 2.0 developers available. In Plateau State, particularly in Jos, most hubs primarily focus on Web 2.0 development.
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To address this gap, we partnered with five key hubs;
- CoreStreams
- Axia Hub
- nHub
- Sunnah Tech Lab
- KCHub
These hubs train skilled Web 2.0 developers. The partnership involves these hubs referring their trained developers to Blockfuse Labs, where we provide blockchain development training completely free of charge. Our vision is to strengthen the ecosystem by fostering collaboration. The engineers from these hubs can come to Blockfuse Labs, undergo blockchain training, and then return to their hubs to establish blockchain training programs. Since we can’t do it alone, this partnership is essential in achieving our mission.
Blockfuse labs at Corestream
Blockfuse Labs at Axia Hub
How will this partnership benefit your company and improve your services?
The partnership will benefit Blockfuse Labs by increasing our credibility and expanding our community of trained blockchain developers.
Although we are giving out knowledge freely, the value lies in the number of skilled developers we help produce and the growth of the blockchain ecosystem.
Are there any financial implications in this partnership?
No, there are no financial implications attached to this partnership. It is purely a knowledge-sharing and ecosystem-building initiative.
Blockfuse Labs at nHub
Blockfuse Labs at Sunnah Tech Lab
How do you intend to measure the success of this partnership?
We will measure success by tracking the number of developers we successfully train through the program. Our long-term goal is for each hub to launch its own blockchain development classes.
Our approach involves bringing engineers to Blockfuse Labs for training, who will then return to their respective hubs to teach others.
Within the next 12 months, we aim for each of these hubs to have at least five core blockchain developers. That would amount to 25 active blockchain developers in the ecosystem, which is a significant milestone considering the novelty of blockchain technology in many regions. This initiative will help drive adoption.
How will you assess the credibility and skills of the trained developers?
Any developer who graduates from our blockchain bootcamp is considered highly skilled. Our training includes three stages of evaluation, with evictions at each stage. Only those who successfully pass all three stages are certified as core blockchain developers. This rigorous process ensures that we can vouch for their expertise at any time.
Are there plans to expand this partnership across Plateau State?
Yes, definitely. Even before launching in Plateau State, we had already established partnerships at a global level and within Nigeria. Some of the notable blockchain partnerships we have include:
- Ethereum
- Base
- StarkNet
- Lix
- HackMD (a writing platform for developers to document their progress online)
Additionally, we have expanded beyond Plateau State to Benue, where we are partnered with SkyHub and other hubs.
We also collaborate with the Ethereum community in Benue State, known as EthBenues, to train their developers in blockchain technology. Furthermore, we are working on forming additional partnerships with hubs across other states.
Blockfuse Labs at KCHub
What do you see as the long-term impact of this initiative?
This initiative will drive blockchain adoption in Nigeria by developing a solid network of skilled developers.
Many states still lack blockchain developers, and through strategic partnerships, we can change that. By training engineers and enabling them to train others, we are creating a self-sustaining system that will accelerate blockchain adoption across Nigeria and beyond.
Conclusion:
This partnership aims to accelerate blockchain adoption by leveraging existing Web 2.0 hubs and transforming developers into skilled Web 3.0 professionals. Blockfuse Labs remains committed to training, collaboration, and ecosystem development, ensuring that blockchain technology reaches new frontiers in Nigeria and beyond.
