Imagine any revolutionary invention – from wheel to internet. Success don always depend on people. Who try am, how dem dey use am, and – crucially – wetin dem talk about am. Users and their experiences dey determine next development.
Why “Mass Adoption” No Be Just About Numbers
The more diverse people wey dey use product, the richer and more representative the feedback. E dey like assembling puzzle: if you only get pieces of one colour, you no go see full picture. For cryptocurrency to become useful for everybody, e must engage different groups – with different needs, backgrounds, and capabilities. Right now, this na main wahala for the whole industry.
But how to attract these users? E boil down to two things: education and accessibility. Accessibility matter pass because e include access to knowledge. Without entry points, learning na waste of time.
This article go examine: who still dey excluded from cryptocurrency and financial education for 2025, and wetin we fit do about am now.
Why Crypto Today Resemble 1950s Seatbelts for Naija
Make we face am: the world dey often built for “majority.” This get economic sense – target biggest group first, gather feedback, then improve. The problem? “Make e work for minorities” dey postponed till further notice. Why redesign when 80% dey okay? E easier to talk say: “Adapt – na price of living for society.”
Consider car seatbelts. Dem design am first for men body. Result? Even today, no get mass-produced solutions for women wey scientists don verify! Crash-test dummies? Mostly “average-sized men.” Wetin happen? Women get 17-20% lower survival chance for serious accidents (NHTSA 2024 data).
Crypto version for Naija:
Early adoption na small group – programmers and finance people (mostly men). System build by and for dem. People wey no fit this profile (plenty of us!) dem sideline. Now the industry face serious redesign to achieve true mass adoption.
Where Crypto Big Users Dey Live? You Go Shock!
While Oyinbo countries dey drag foot for regulation, emerging economies dey embrace crypto full ground. Why? For dem, e often na only way to enter global finance, to bypass banking system wey no dey work or no reach common man.
Latest data (Chainalysis Global Crypto Adoption Index, Q1 2025):
| Rank | Country | Region | Income Group (World Bank) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vietnam | Southeast Asia | Lower Middle Income (LMI) |
| 2 | Philippines | Southeast Asia | Lower Middle Income (LMI) |
| 3 | Ukraine | Eastern Europe | Lower Middle Income (LMI) |
| 4 | India | South Asia | Lower Middle Income (LMI) |
| 5 | Pakistan | South Asia | Lower Middle Income (LMI) |
| 6 | Brazil | Latin America | Upper Middle Income (UMI) |
| 7 | Thailand | Southeast Asia | Upper Middle Income (UMI) |
| 8 | Russia | Eastern Europe | Upper Middle Income (UMI) |
| 9 | Nigeria | West Africa | Lower Middle Income (LMI) |
| 10 | China | East Asia | Upper Middle Income (UMI) |
Source: Chainalysis Global Crypto Adoption Index, Q1 2025
Wetin this mean:
- 9 of top 10 countries na emerging economies (Lower Middle Income – LMI).
- ~40% of world population dey live for LMI nations – massive and active user base.
- Even when market slow, LMI/UMI adoption dey grow steady.
For here, crypto no be gambling asset – na tool for survival and growth: cheap way to collect money from abroad, escape inflation, access credit/savings.
Who Still Dey Excluded from Crypto for 2025 and Why?
Barriers no be only “no knowledge.” Deep structural wahala involve physical ability, infrastructure access, and social biases. Main excluded groups:
1. Women: Why Dem No Reach 30% for Crypto?
Statistics still bad (Coin.dance, Engagement Data, March 2025):
- Bitcoin community: ~72% Men vs. ~28% Women.
- Main interest areas: Tech, Finance, Programming – men dominate these ones.
Why?
- “Crypto too risky!” True? Yes. But risk dey relative. Women dey generally fear financial risk more (Fidelity 2024 research). Aggressive “casino” or “hype” marketing dey chase dem commot. We need explain levels of risk: Bitcoin no be meme coin wey go vanish tomorrow.
- Pikin time stereotypes: “Tech no be for girls.” Even with better toys and STEM programs, old mindset still dey.
- “Tech Bro” matter: Media dey praise male founders (with bad reputation sometimes – SBF na example!). Female crypto founders (like Kathleen Breitman of Tezos) no dey get same attention.
- How dem dey share information: Dry, big grammar guides dey discourage. Explanations must link to practical goals: “How crypto fit help you achieve dreams – travel, school fees, business for Lagos?”
How to Engage More Women? Action Steps:
- Fear-free education: Make courses focus on risk management, long-term investment, and real use (like sending money home) – no be only trading. Example: Binance Academy “Crypto for Beginners: Women’s Edition”.
- Show role models: Share success stories of Naija women for Web3 – developers, founders, investors.
- Women for product development: Involve women from start to finish. Their view dey important for easy interfaces.
- Women communities: Support networks like SheFi or Crypto Chix for safe learning spaces.
Abeg, e dey annoy say we still dey talk this for 2025. But if we ignore, we lose half talent and users.
2. People with Visual Impairments: Why Crypto Still Strange Land
How big the wahala be (WHO World Vision Report, 2025):
- 1.3+ billion people get vision problem.
- Go reach 1.8 billion by 2050.
- Over 90% dey low/middle-income countries like Naija.
Barriers dem dey face: Almost everything:
- Wallet/DEX interfaces: Dey depend too much on sight – QR codes, charts, complex menus.
- Transaction verification: How to check wallet address without trusting third parties? E go against “Don’t Trust, Verify” rule.
- Seed phrases: Screen reader fit mispronounce “hour” as “our” or “bare” as “bear” – fit make you lose everything.
Current Solutions (Small Progress):
- Wallets: Some (like Argent, Trust Wallet) improve VoiceOver/TalkBack support – but this na just starting point.
- Initiatives: Projects like Braiille Books for Blockchain (start 2023) dey make Braille blockchain materials.
Urgent Fixes Needed (Developer Checklist):
- Deep screen-reader integration: Make interface descriptions meaningful, no be just text-to-speech.
- Voice commands: Control wallet/confirm transactions with secure voice.
- Audio verification: Unique sounds for address confirmation, amounts, network status.
- Seed phrase homophone protection: Make algorithms to distinguish/clearly pronounce similar words.
- Blind user involvement: Must include dem for product testing.
Gaming idea: Create “blind mode” achievements for GameFi to make sighted players understand the struggle.
3. People Wey No Sabi Read or Write: Group Wey Dey Reduce But Important
Data (UNESCO, 2024):
- ~700 million adults worldwide no sabi read or write.
- Two-thirds na women.
- Mainly for Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Crypto challenge: Digital interfaces (wallets, exchanges) na almost impossible without reading/writing skills.
Solutions:
- Focus on oral/visual: Teach through local radio, audio podcasts, comics, pictures.
- Voice interfaces: Use tools like ChatGPT Voice for crypto operations (“Send 0.01 BTC to +234 XXX XXX XXXX”).
- Local “helpers”: Train community members wey sabi book to assist with basics (need trust, but fit work small small).
Good news: Literacy dey improve worldwide, especially youth. This one need time and money but e fit solve.
4. Our Elders: Why Dem Dey Struggle Different
Wahala:
- Digital barrier: Plenty no sabi smartphones well. Crypto (wallets, keys) dey confuse dem.
- Trust matter: Elders dey trust banks. “Not your keys, not your coins” dey scare dem.
- Fraud fear: Dem dey main target for scams. News of exchange hack dey fear dem.
- Brain no sharp like before: Learning new things dey harder as age dey go.
How to Help?
- Super simple interfaces: Wallets like Zengo (no seed phrases!) or solutions from PayPal Crypto resemble familiar GTBank/FirstBank apps.
- Learn from trusted people: Banks, family members, or financial advisors fit teach dem.
- Focus on real benefits: No be “future tech,” but “Save money from inflation” or “Send money to grandchildren quick-quick.”
- Mix solutions: Custodial services with self-custody parts and clear security education. Example: Fidelity Crypto for retirement accounts.
5. No Light or Internet: The Final Barrier
2025 Reality for Naija:
- Climate wahala (heat, flood) dey cause light to go often.
- Regional conflicts dey destroy infrastructure.
- Starlink no be cure-all: Expensive devices, limited availability, government fit block am.
Consequence: No light/internet = no access to wallets or exchanges. Paper wallets fit store money but no fit transact.
Partial Solutions (Hard Wahala):
- Offline transactions: Tech like NFC or Bluetooth Mesh for signing offline (e.g., Blockstream Satellite) – still dey develop.
- Local mesh networks: Phone-to-phone networks to send transaction data when light or cheap data Nigeria bundle come.
- Better light solutions: Support solar projects for remote areas – na real answer.
This one remain hardest barrier. Solutions need tech/infrastructure/government cooperation.
Even For “Mainstream” Users: Top 3 2025 Risks Wey Dey Fear New People
Even tech-savvy users get fears:
- “Your seed phrase na your key – and prison”: Lose am = lose everything. Fear dey make many no write am well.
Solution? Account Abstraction (AA) (wallet tech wey simplify management): Protocols like zk-Rollup solutions (scaling tech for Ethereum) such as zkSync, Starknet, Polygon Supernets enable:
– Recover account via friends/family.
– Simple transactions (Opay/Flutterwave pay gas for you).
– Set spending limits for safety.
New wallets: Argent, Safe (ex-Gnosis Safe) don start use AA. - Scammers Still Dey: Phishing, fake airdrops, rug pulls, bridge hacks (especially cross-chain bridges).
Protection:
– Use hardware wallets + sharp eye.
– Check ALL links/official project accounts well-well.
– Use audited bridges (Portal Bridge, Synapse).
– “No leave assets for bridges!” – Swap and withdraw sharpally. - Transfer Mistakes: Wrong network (send ERC-20 to BEP-20) or wrong token = lost money. Millions vanish every year!
Protection:
– Check recipient address/network three times.
– Send small test transaction first.
– Use aggregators (1inch, Jupiter) or error-proof wallets like BlockWallet (best crypto wallet for Android Nigeria).
Conclusion: Why Crypto Inclusion No Be Charity – Na Survival
Crypto born to promote freedom and equality. Without deliberate barrier removal, e fit become like old systems, exclude people wey need am pass.
Wetin overcoming barriers go bring:
- True mass adoption: No be for paper only.
- Strong ecosystems: Different users → different ideas → better products.
- Financial sense: Crypto na powerful teacher. E go improve overall money wisdom.
- Economic growth: Include women and grassroots go make economy better.
Wetin YOU Fit Do Now:
- Share knowledge: Explain crypto to grandparents or market woman for simple words.
- Demand accessibility: Ask wallets/exchanges about screen reader support and easy interfaces.
- Support inclusive projects: Join communities for women, disabled people, or Naija focus.
- Get patience: New people dey fear. No laugh at “dumb” questions. Remember, HODLing na like waiting for Lagos-Ibadan expressway traffic to clear — patience dey pay!
Inclusion no be about “tick box.” Na about crypto finally deliver promise: become money and technology for EVERYBODY, no exceptions.
Editor’s Note: Views na author own alone, no be Coin Bureau official position.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Crypto truly diverse and inclusive today for Naija?
True talk? No. Small progress dey (more education, easier wallets), but deep barriers – gender gap, disability exclusion, no light – still dey. Road to true inclusion still far.
2. Why diversity/inclusion matter for crypto?
- Strength: Different communities find better solutions and spot risk quick.
- New ideas: Different views bring fresh ideas (e.g., blind-accessible wallets, voice DeFi).
- Mass adoption: Crypto go mainstream only when everybody fit use am easy, no be only tech people.
- Morals: Web3 philosophy demand openness. Without inclusion, na empty talk.
3. Why me (investor/enthusiast) suppose care?
- Reputation risk: Projects wey look like “boys only club” go lose trust.
- Market potential: Reach new people (e.g., visually impaired or unbanked women) na big opportunity.
- Long-term growth: Inclusive ecosystems dey better for investment.
4. How I fit help improve accessibility?
- Share beginner resources: Articles/videos for local languages (Coin Bureau YouTube, Binance Academy).
- Join testing: Give feedback for accessibility projects.
- Talk about barriers: Raise issues (accessibility, gender) for communities.
- Support inclusive DAOs: Join groups like Bitcoin Nigeria Community or CryptoTVPlus.
5. How regulations (MiCA, FIT) affect accessibility?
For good, regulation fit build trust (especially for older people) through investor protection. For bad, complex KYC (Know Your Customer) or AML (Anti-Money Laundering) fit:
- Block access for some areas.
- Make onboarding hard for non-tech users.
- Increase costs, price out poor people.
The key na make regulators and industry balance security and accessibility. After CBN roll out eNaira for 2024, dem need find better ways.
