The first event I attended this year was in April, a Bitget event in Abuja. It leaned more toward marketing than education, but it was still interesting to see how people responded to the buzz around crypto. A few weeks later, I joined the Avalanche Campus Tour, which had a completely different energy. This one was focused on education and onboarding, especially for newbies. The atmosphere was fresh, exciting, and relatable—you could feel the curiosity in the room as people asked questions, shared ideas, and connected with others.

By August, I was at ETH Enugu, the very first ETH conference in Nigeria. The energy there was on another level. Builders and enthusiasts from across the world came together, and I got to learn about a wide range of products being built right here on the continent. It was inspiring to see how much innovation is happening in Africa. I also co-hosted a side event for Nouns DAO Africa, where we introduced attendees to the Nouns ecosystem and the concept of DAOs in general. Beyond the talks, we shared some music and games, which turned out to be a highlight. People were excited, engaged, and genuinely having fun. It struck me that entertainment could play a much bigger role in these kinds of events.

What’s been amazing so far is seeing so many interested newcomers and so many innovative products emerging from the region. It shows that builders are deeply committed to creating solutions for Africa and the world. But here’s the catch: most of these events still feel inaccessible to non-crypto or non-technical people. Creators, artists, and everyday folks often don’t know where to start, or they feel like crypto conferences aren’t “their” space. And that’s exactly where entertainment should come in.

Entertainment isn’t just about fun, it’s one of the strongest cultural forces we have. Think about it: fashion, music, film, and sports shape how people see the world, what they buy, and even the causes they support. Corporate brands already know this, which is why they partner with artists, athletes, and entertainers to influence culture and drive adoption.

Now compare that to blockchain events. Panels, workshops, and keynotes are powerful for people already curious about crypto but for the wider public, they can feel intimidating, overly technical, or disconnected from everyday life. That’s why, at ETH Enugu, I noticed something important: when we added music and games to the Nouns DAO Africa side event, the energy in the room shifted. People lit up. The excitement was different, more human. It showed me that entertainment isn’t just an add-on to these conferences; it can be the bridge that brings culture and blockchain together.

Right now, blockchain adoption is largely being pushed through education, investment, and technical innovation. These are important, but they mostly speak to people already within tech or finance circles. Creators and culture-drivers; the musicians, designers, filmmakers, gamers often stay on the outside looking in. Not because they don’t care, but because the entry points don’t feel made for them.

If blockchain truly wants to scale beyond niche communities, it has to meet users where they are, and not expect them to adjust to us. And where are they? They’re in culture. They’re in the music they listen to, the clothes they wear, the sports they watch, and the stories they consume.

What would happen if blockchain conferences leaned into this truth? Imagine a crypto event with a fashion show powered by NFT designs, or a music concert where ticketing and royalties are all on-chain. Picture esports tournaments backed by blockchain, or film screenings where the audience can support creators directly through tokens. These aren’t just gimmicks, they’re cultural gateways. They make blockchain real and relatable.

For me, the highlight of these conferences hasn’t just been learning about protocols or products, it’s been those moments where creativity collides with crypto. When music or games enter the space, suddenly more people see themselves in the ecosystem. That’s the missing link: using entertainment as a cultural on-ramp.

Blockchain adoption won’t happen by technology alone. It will happen when the technology meets culture, through storytelling, creativity, and entertainment. If we want the masses in faster, we have to stop building in isolation and start plugging into the cultural engines that already move the world.

When blockchain meets culture head-on, that’s when the real adoption begins.

The first event I attended this year was in April, a Bitget event in Abuja. It leaned more toward marketing than education, but it was still interesting to see how people responded to the buzz around crypto. A few weeks later, I joined the Avalanche Campus Tour, which had a completely different energy. This one was focused on education and onboarding, especially for newbies. The atmosphere was fresh, exciting, and relatable—you could feel the curiosity in the room as people asked questions, shared ideas, and connected with others.

By August, I was at ETH Enugu, the very first ETH conference in Nigeria. The energy there was on another level. Builders and enthusiasts from across the world came together, and I got to learn about a wide range of products being built right here on the continent. It was inspiring to see how much innovation is happening in Africa. I also co-hosted a side event for Nouns DAO Africa, where we introduced attendees to the Nouns ecosystem and the concept of DAOs in general. Beyond the talks, we shared some music and games, which turned out to be a highlight. People were excited, engaged, and genuinely having fun. It struck me that entertainment could play a much bigger role in these kinds of events.

What’s been amazing so far is seeing so many interested newcomers and so many innovative products emerging from the region. It shows that builders are deeply committed to creating solutions for Africa and the world. But here’s the catch: most of these events still feel inaccessible to non-crypto or non-technical people. Creators, artists, and everyday folks often don’t know where to start, or they feel like crypto conferences aren’t “their” space. And that’s exactly where entertainment should come in.

Entertainment isn’t just about fun, it’s one of the strongest cultural forces we have. Think about it: fashion, music, film, and sports shape how people see the world, what they buy, and even the causes they support. Corporate brands already know this, which is why they partner with artists, athletes, and entertainers to influence culture and drive adoption.

Now compare that to blockchain events. Panels, workshops, and keynotes are powerful for people already curious about crypto but for the wider public, they can feel intimidating, overly technical, or disconnected from everyday life. That’s why, at ETH Enugu, I noticed something important: when we added music and games to the Nouns DAO Africa side event, the energy in the room shifted. People lit up. The excitement was different, more human. It showed me that entertainment isn’t just an add-on to these conferences; it can be the bridge that brings culture and blockchain together.

Right now, blockchain adoption is largely being pushed through education, investment, and technical innovation. These are important, but they mostly speak to people already within tech or finance circles. Creators and culture-drivers; the musicians, designers, filmmakers, gamers often stay on the outside looking in. Not because they don’t care, but because the entry points don’t feel made for them.

If blockchain truly wants to scale beyond niche communities, it has to meet users where they are, and not expect them to adjust to us. And where are they? They’re in culture. They’re in the music they listen to, the clothes they wear, the sports they watch, and the stories they consume.

What would happen if blockchain conferences leaned into this truth? Imagine a crypto event with a fashion show powered by NFT designs, or a music concert where ticketing and royalties are all on-chain. Picture esports tournaments backed by blockchain, or film screenings where the audience can support creators directly through tokens. These aren’t just gimmicks, they’re cultural gateways. They make blockchain real and relatable.

For me, the highlight of these conferences hasn’t just been learning about protocols or products, it’s been those moments where creativity collides with crypto. When music or games enter the space, suddenly more people see themselves in the ecosystem. That’s the missing link: using entertainment as a cultural on-ramp.

Blockchain adoption won’t happen by technology alone. It will happen when the technology meets culture, through storytelling, creativity, and entertainment. If we want the masses in faster, we have to stop building in isolation and start plugging into the cultural engines that already move the world.

When blockchain meets culture head-on, that’s when the real adoption begins.