Africa Digital Assets (ADA) has unveiled plans for the Kenya Token, placing financial inclusion and the participation of disadvantaged communities at the centre of its entry into Kenya’s digital asset market.
The announcement was made alongside the opening of ADA’s Africa hub at Mwanzo Gardens in Nairobi. It follows the pre-launch of the Namibia Token in Windhoek on October 5, 2026.
Founder Professor Fredrick Onyango Ogola said the organisation wants digital finance to create opportunities for people who have historically had limited access to investment markets.
“Tokenization gives ordinary people a way to answer that for themselves,” Ogola said, referring to the question of who owns the wealth generated by Africa’s economies.
ADA says its Kenya and Namibia initiatives are designed around an ethical framework informed by Catholic social teaching, which emphasises the needs of poor and vulnerable people in economic decision-making.
Investment model
The Kenya Token is priced at US$1 per token, according to the organisation.
Under its proposed revenue model, 70 per cent of revenue will be directed towards token buybacks held in a 30-year vault, while 30 per cent will be distributed to holders as staking rewards.
ADA also intends to direct funds into real-economy projects and reserve five per cent towards establishing a university focused on training African blockchain engineers.
The organisation argues that these measures could connect digital finance with economic development while giving more people an opportunity to participate in digital asset markets.
Its case draws partly on Kenya’s established mobile money market. ADA cited approximately US$321 billion in M-PESA transactions last year, compared with about 84,000 active share traders among Safaricom’s roughly 33 million M-PESA users.
The organisation sees this difference as an opportunity to widen participation in investment products beyond everyday payments.
Financial literacy and regulation
The launch comes as Kenya prepares to implement its virtual asset service provider licensing framework.
ADA is calling for an approximately eight-month delay in implementation, proposing August 2027 as the revised timeline. Ogola argues that authorities should first assess local market activity and develop regulations informed by practical experience.
He also maintains that public education is essential to protecting consumers as digital assets become more accessible.
“Financial literacy protects people better than regulation alone,” he said.
To support this objective, ADA has established the Africa Digital Assets Academy, an 11-course programme covering digital asset operations, fraud identification and safe participation. The first courses are free.
The organisation is advocating cooperation among regulators, industry representatives, civil society, religious institutions and educators to strengthen governance and improve public understanding.
Building a regional network
ADA’s strategy extends beyond Kenya to Namibia, where the organisation sees potential for tokenisation in minerals, renewable energy and infrastructure.
Namibia’s ports and transport corridors serve six countries and more than 300 million people, according to ADA. The organisation has identified investment needs in roads, energy, water systems, fuel storage and port expansion.
It is also exploring opportunities associated with the Walvis Bay-Windhoek-Cape Town corridor, including trade infrastructure and the country’s natural resources.
The Namibia Token pre-launch was led by country ambassador Dr Ambrosius Hinanentu Iipinge.
Both initiatives build on discussions at the Africa Digital Asset Summit 2026, held on April 29 and 30 at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi. The summit brought together participants from government, academia, financial services, industry associations and faith-based organisations.
How to register
ADA has opened its whitelist to prospective buyers willing to submit a non-binding letter of interest stating how many tokens they intend to purchase at US$1 each.
Those who register will receive a private-sale link, with public sales scheduled for December 16 to 25, 2026.
Interested participants can submit their details through https://www.catholictoken.com/.
