The programme, which has the co-founder of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, as the keynote speaker, will bring together policymakers, entrepreneurs, captains of industry and the business community.

“The agenda is to create awareness on and help promote bitcoin adoption in Africa by instituting bitcoin-friendly legislation and regulatory frameworks,” Mr. Alfred Adjabeng, Liaison of the Africa Bitcoin Conference, told a press conference in Accra.

According to him, with the appropriate safety and regulatory measures in place, “people will no longer be afraid of bitcoin, and will embrace its ability to facilitate the transfer, storage, and protection of value,” he said.

Mr. Adjabeng indicated that Africa was lagging behind in bitcoin adoption due to lack of regulation and trust and the banning of digital currencies by major regulatory bodies.

Another barrier is apprehension about bitcoin price volatility, he noted, urging startups working with bitcoin on the continent to strive to conduct educational workshops to ensure people understood the technology.

Mr. Prince Akpah, Communication and Guest Relations Officer for the Conference, said the inaugural Africa Bitcoin Conference had been structured in a manner to deepen knowledge and features of the bitcoin concept.