In this exclusive
interview, we sat down with Mouloukou Sandoh, the Co-founder of Cassava
Network, a ground-breaking platform driving Web3 adoption across Africa. With a
primary focus on entertainment, gaming, and loyalty rewards, Cassava Network is
making waves as the go-to hub for crypto in Africa. Offering a multi-chain
wallet, NFT platform, rewards system, and E-sport league, the network is paving
the way for widespread cryptocurrency adoption and revolutionizing the internet
landscape in Africa.
TRA: Tell us a bit more about Cassava Network.
MS: Cassava is Africa's
gateway for crypto - connecting Africa to the world and the world to Africa. We
are creating Africa's web3 platform focused on entertainment, NFTs, gaming, and
loyalty rewards with the aim of mass adoption and acceleration of
cryptocurrencies. We do this through our multi-chain wallet, NFT platform,
rewards platform, and E-sports league.
We aim to
revolutionise the internet in Africa by becoming the bridge that connects users
from web2 to web3 by focusing on and releasing products in the largest
consumer-facing verticals such as music, games, and rewards – where we have
formed partnerships with leading companies, across Africa including Boomplay,
Vskit, Bitmama, and Carry1st.
TRA: What are the measures put in place to drive web3
adoption in Africa?
MS: We collaborate with the
biggest Web2 applications in Africa and help them gamify their user experience.
We also facilitate the user transition from Web2 to Web3. When users create an
account on Cassava Network, they receive a multi-chain wallet, enabling
immediate transactions across various blockchains.
By partnering with
the largest Web2 companies in Africa, we aggregate their users – guiding this
traffic from Web2 to Web3. We focus on the most prominent consumer-facing
verticals. For instance, we recently collaborated with African Valuables
Collective to produce a music album featuring major stars from Nigeria and
South Africa.
We plan to
tokenise this album into NFTs, available for purchase by any Cassava wallet
holder. The album can then be streamed on Boom Play, Africa's largest music
streaming platform. We're also partnering with Carry1st, Africa's top gaming
publisher, to conduct gaming tournaments. The rewards for these tournaments,
for example, a 200 Euro first prize, will be directly transferred into the
winners' Cassava wallets.
TRA: As an Investor, with a focus on Africa, what are
the opportunities available in the African crypto market for Cassava Network?
MS: There are numerous
opportunities. But first, we need to recognise the challenges, such as high
inflation and currency devaluation, which signal that the current financial
system isn't serving Africa well. However, the upside lies in a large youth
demographic, widespread mobile phone use, and a burgeoning tech sector,
creating an ideal environment for cryptocurrency.
As an investor,
we're observing innovative developments in areas like payments, real estate,
and investment. Essentially, Web3 is disrupting traditional industries, democratising
them, and enhancing efficiency and fairness. The investment opportunities we're
interested in are companies leveraging blockchain technology to provide
solutions to significant issues.
TRA: In 2023, what are your plans to ensure Cassava
Network reaches everywhere in Africa?
MS: We have a three-pronged
strategy for our expansion. Firstly, we have ambassadors at approximately 20
universities in Nigeria, and we plan to introduce student ambassadors in Kenya
and South Africa. We aim to hire more staff in South Africa and Kenya by the
middle of this year.
Secondly, we're
hosting a series of events continent-wide, including funding gaming
tournaments. We're also partnering with the largest Web2 and Web3 companies
throughout Africa, aiming to scale rapidly. Lastly, we have collaborations with
some of the most significant voucher providers on the continent. As of today,
we can reward users in 148 countries, including almost all 54 countries in
Africa.
Our focus will be
to continue enhancing our product offering. We'll keep pushing with NFTs and
gaming tournaments and persist in assisting global Web3 companies in acquiring
users in Africa through growth strategies and airdrop campaigns.
TRA: Thank you for your time
with us.
