Blockchain.com has announced plans to open a physical branch in Nigeria this quarter of 2025. The company is planning to expand into Africa, generally targeting places like Nigeria and Ghana that have some crypto regulations in place.
After previously banning cryptocurrency in 2021, Nigeria will now be home to the UK-based Blockchain.com’s physical office in Africa.
Blockchain.com is planning a physical office space in Nigeria
The UK-based cryptocurrency exchange has announced that it will open its first physical office in Nigeria, as the country is its fastest-growing market in West Africa. Blockchain.com has been making moves to expand into the African continent as there has been a development in regulatory clarity in select African nations.
According to Owenize Odia, general manager for Africa operations, Nigeria is a crucial pillar of the company’s strategy to expand across Africa. In an email statement, Odia described Nigeria’s recent progress in digital asset regulation as a positive development for crypto firms seeking stability and legitimacy.
“Nigeria has taken meaningful steps toward creating a clear framework for crypto,” she said.
Blockchain.com’s plan is to establish a local presence that targets emerging crypto hotspots like Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. These areas are home to tech-savvy youths, who are increasingly turning to crypto as a hedge against inflation and currency devaluation.
Africa’s youthful demographics are a major part of Blockchain.com’s strategy, as over 60% of the continent’s population is under the age of 25. Mobile-first technologies like cryptocurrency and decentralized finance (DeFi) also have a high chance of adoption.
The planned Nigerian office will serve as a regional hub for West Africa and is expected to support operations, partnerships, and customer engagement.
Youth interest in cryptocurrency is pivotal
While cryptocurrency remains illegal or heavily restricted in several African countries, a handful of nations are now attempting to regulate digital assets rather than ban the industry altogether.
This shift in priorities is creating new opportunities for both African investors and exchanges like Blockchain.com, looking to expand across the continent. U.S. President Donald Trump’s embrace of digital assets has also given firms the confidence to make bold, ambitious future plans.
Nigeria has so far been bold with digital asset regulation.
In 2021, Nigeria’s central bank issued a directive that effectively banned banks from facilitating crypto transactions. As a result, Nigerian investors graduated to using peer-to-peer trading platforms.
Then, in 2023, the country passed a new investment and securities law that explicitly included provisions for the licensing and regulation of crypto exchanges. This law prompted other players, such as Yellow Card Financial Inc. to begin seeking official permits from Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
A couple of borders away, Ghana’s central bank has also begun drafting regulations, with plans to introduce a legal framework for cryptocurrencies and related platforms by the end of September 2025, according to Odia.
If all goes according to plan, this regulation would place Ghana among the growing list of African nations seeking to attract crypto-related investments.
By opening a physical office in Nigeria, Blockchain.com could pave the way for other crypto companies to follow suit, which would further strengthen Africa’s position in the global digital asset industry.
As Odia put it, “Africa has the potential to leapfrog traditional financial systems — and crypto is the key.”
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