Nigerian’s Trade Bitcoin More Despite Ban

Nigerian’s Trade Bitcoin More Despite Ban.

When Nigerian office worker Chigoziri Okeke bought cryptocurrency for the first time in 2016, he was only looking to make an online payment. But the 10 percent gain on his wallet’s balance after a few days fired up the 27-year-old’s interest.

Now, the Lagos resident has more than $50,000 worth of different cryptocurrencies.

“After my initial purchase, bitcoin’s price spiked a little bit to about $400-$500 per unit,” Okeke told AFP, smiling at his shining computer screen.

“People told me it cost a dollar at some point. So, that motivated me to start investing a certain portion of my salary in cryptocurrency.”

Okeke’s experience reflects the reality of many Nigerians who are playing a key role in the global hunt for bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in the face of the economic crisis bedeviling Africa’s most populous nation.