CKB Off-Chain Lagos x TechyJaunt – Event Overview
On April 18, 2026, the Nervos Community Catalyst, in collaboration with TechyJaunt, hosted the first Africa-based CKB Off-Chain meetup in Lagos, Nigeria. The event formed part of the broader Off-Chain initiative, which aims to establish localized developer communities and increase in-person engagement with the CKB ecosystem.
The Lagos meetup brought together existing CKBuilders alongside developers from TechyJaunt’s broader network in a structured, in-person setting. The objective was twofold: to deepen connections and engagement among developers already familiar with CKB, and to introduce new participants to the ecosystem through direct interaction, project exposure, and practical onboarding.
Program Structure and Activities
The event exceeded its initial participation targets, with over 50 attendees. To kick off proceedings, an Introduction to CKB presentation was delivered by long-term community member @Jnr6, which explained CKB’s design and philosophy as a security-first foundation that puts maximum flexibility in the hands of developers. It also shared information around RGB++ and Fiber Network as key ecosystem components that add new possibilities to CKB. Finally, details were given about the CKBuilder community and how interested developers could apply to join.
Following this, CKBuilder projects were presented by their developers, including
These sessions were structured not only to demonstrate ongoing work, but also to encourage discussion and early-stage user interaction, with some presenters onboarding initial users during the event itself.
Most notable was a CKB airdrop event which onboarded new users to Pocket Node and gave people their first CKB. A more detailed breakdown of this airdrop will follow in the Pocket Node milestone update, but in short it provided valuable real-world and testing feedback that can be carried forward into additional fixes and features.
Alongside the presentations, the event incorporated structured networking sessions aimed at facilitating interaction between the CKB and TechyJaunt communities. These exchanges were intended to create opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing, particularly for developers encountering CKB for the first time.
Additional interactive elements, including gamified activities, were introduced to encourage participation and maintain engagement throughout the afternoon. The program concluded with a virtual keynote address from myself, providing broader context on the direction of the ecosystem and outlining potential pathways for developer involvement. Although I could not make it in-person due to late logistical challenges, my message to CKBuilders and attendees was that they are the future stars of the ecosystem if they remain dedicated and persistent.
Wider Context
The selection of Lagos as a location reflects broader considerations regarding the role of West Africa within the global blockchain ecosystem. Nigeria, in particular, has a large and active developer base, alongside a range of structural challenges related to payments, financial access, and digital infrastructure.
These conditions create a context in which blockchain-based solutions are often explored not only as technical experiments, but as potential responses to existing limitations in financial systems. Within this environment, CKB and Fiber Network may be applicable to a range of use cases, including low-cost instant micropayments, decentralised financial tools, and identity-related applications.
Reflections and Next Steps
The outcomes of the Lagos event suggest that there is both interest in and capacity for deeper engagement with CKB among developers in the region. Looking ahead, several areas for further development can be identified. Structured in-person builder events, such as buildathons, may provide a mechanism for giving new developers a live hands-on experience of building on CKB. Expanding the Off-Chain model to additional cities within Africa could also support the formation of a broader regional network of developers.
Conclusion
The CKB Off-Chain Lagos meetup represents a continuation of one of Nervos Community Catalyst’s strategic priorities, which is to increase the IRL presence of CKB and strengthen community ties. It also targets a key region of recent growth in the CKBuilder community. The event demonstrated that there is meaningful interest among developers, as well as a willingness to engage with the tools and concepts underpinning CKB.
This event sets the precedent for future builder-focused events in Nigeria, as well as expansion to other developer hubs in Africa. We have an increasing contingent of CKBuilders based in Kenya, which in time could also host its own meetup event. I wish to extend my thanks to @Jnr6 for all of his efforts behind the scenes, the other CKBuilders who presented their work, as well as TechyJaunt for their operational support and ongoing partnership.