Africa Digital Assets (ADA) has called for a more inclusive approach to digital finance as it announced the pre-launch of the Kenya Token and opened its Africa hub in Nairobi.
The organisation said its digital asset initiatives in Kenya and Namibia are intended to broaden access to financial opportunities, particularly for people who have traditionally been excluded from formal investment markets.
The Kenya announcement follows the pre-launch of the Namibia Token in Windhoek on October 5, 2026.
ADA founder Professor Fredrick Onyango Ogola said the development of digital assets should be guided by the question of how ordinary Africans can participate in the wealth generated by their economies.
“The moral code of digital assets must be written with the poor in mind,” Ogola said.
The organisation’s approach is informed by Catholic social teaching, which calls for preferential consideration of the poor in economic decisions.
This principle also informed the Africa Digital Asset Summit 2026, held at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi on April 29 and 30 under the theme of ethical stewardship for the love of the poor.
Balancing innovation and consumer protection
ADA’s launch comes as Kenya moves towards implementing a licensing framework for virtual asset service providers.
The organisation is urging authorities to consider delaying implementation by approximately eight months, until August 2027, arguing that regulators need more time to assess local market conditions and develop rules informed by practical experience.
“Traffic should come before traffic lights,” Ogola said, arguing that regulators should first understand how digital asset markets function.
He added that public education should form a central part of efforts to protect consumers from fraud and financial losses.
ADA is proposing a collaborative approach involving regulators, financial institutions, industry associations, civil society, religious organisations and educators.
The objective, it said, is to strengthen governance and responsible market participation rather than rely entirely on formal regulation.
Academy targets public awareness
The Africa Digital Assets Academy is one of the organisation’s initiatives to improve financial literacy.
Its 11-course programme covers how digital assets work, how to identify fraudulent schemes and how to participate more safely in the market. Introductory courses are available free of charge.
The initiative is particularly relevant in markets where digital financial services have achieved wide adoption but participation in investment products remains limited.
ADA cited Kenya’s M-PESA ecosystem as an example, noting that approximately US$321 billion was transacted through the platform last year, while around 84,000 of Safaricom’s roughly 33 million M-PESA users actively traded shares through the application.
The Kenya Token is intended to offer another route into digital asset markets, with a proposed price of US$1 per token.
ADA says 70 per cent of revenue will be allocated to token buybacks held in a 30-year vault, while 30 per cent will be paid to holders as staking rewards. Five per cent is earmarked for a proposed university to train African blockchain engineers, alongside plans to support real-economy projects.
Regional opportunities
The organisation is also positioning Namibia as a potential entry point for expanding tokenisation across Southern Africa.
Namibia’s ports and transport corridors serve several neighbouring countries, creating potential opportunities linked to trade infrastructure, energy, minerals and renewable power.
ADA has identified roads, water systems, fuel storage and port expansion as areas requiring investment.
The organisation believes tokenisation could help local participants gain a greater stake in assets and projects associated with the country’s economic development.
The Nairobi launch brought together stakeholders from Kenya, Namibia and other parts of Africa, including academics, prospective distributors, banking and pension representatives, investors and advisers.
Registration opens
ADA has opened registration for prospective Kenya Token buyers through a non-binding letter of interest indicating the number of tokens they intend to purchase at US$1 each.
Applicants will receive a private-sale link after registering their interest. Public sales are scheduled for December 16 to 25, 2026.
Further information is available at https://www.catholictoken.com/.
