TL:DR,
- Blockchain jobs are growing rapidly in Africa, offering remote opportunities for developers, writers, and community managers with specialized skills.
- There are job boards that focus on the crypto industry, for example, CryptoJobsList, Alliance, and Angelist.
- The demand for blockchain talent continues to grow globally, with Africa positioned to benefit from its large youth population and increasing internet connectivity.
The Web3 and blockchain ecosystem is proving to be a game-changer in reducing the rate of unemployment, which has mainly become a lifeline for many youths in Africa. Blockchain jobs offer alternative income to some, better and stable income for others, and for a few innovators, an open door to crypto careers never thought of before.
The Remarkable Growth of Blockchain Jobs in Africa
According to OKX, the number of individuals working in the blockchain industry increased by 76 per cent year-on-year as of June 2022. The United States, India and China top the list of countries with the best blockchain talents, revealing the industry’s high rate of demand. While the United States, India and China remain top-listed countries with the best blockchain talents, your innovative mind could still thrive here.
The crypto world is experiencing a bearish trend, resulting in the demand for crypto specialists from all fields. Africa stands an excellent opportunity to create these talents due to the high youth population and the growing internet speed access in major cities across the globe.
Access to education has rapidly increased in Africa over the last decade, and self-tutoring is as effective as learning the same in a physical class.
Top Crypto Jobs for Africa’s Innovative Youth
Accessing web3 employment opportunities today is far simpler than you’d think. You simply must identify which niche suits your skill sets.
Here are the most promising crypto jobs in Africa that offer sustainable career paths:
Smart Contract Developers: Building the Digital Infrastructure
Smart contract developers represent the technical backbone of the blockchain ecosystem. These experts are among the highest-paid opportunities in the blockchain ecosystem. However, programming skills are critical to acquire this role in the industry. The role demands proficiency in blockchain programming languages such a Solidity (for Ethereum), Rust (for Solana and Near), Python, and C++.
Best blockchain programming languages.[Photo: Obsidi]
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Other skills required in blockchain development include a deeper understanding of cryptography, blockchain architecture, and finance.
Web Developers Specialising in Blockchain Applications
A web developer slightly differs from a blockchain developer in that the former develops web applications using a web architect’s products. At the same time, the latter builds applications based on blockchain architecture and protocol. These developers are tasked with creating user interfaces that seamlessly interact with blockchain networks.
While they do hinge on traditional web development tools, they must also understand various blockchain programming languages to integrate both technologies. Transitioning into blockchain jobs for this group is a bit simpler, requiring knowledge of JavaScript frameworks like React or Vue.js,
Technical Writers Demystifying Blockchain
Finding crypto jobs in Africa also contains a non-technical aspect: technical writers. These individuals are responsible for efficiently communicating complex information. Crypto companies often hire technical writers to draft their products’ whitepapers in simple language that is understandable to the target audience.
Africans have proven to be sound technical writers, as revealed by the recently released report of how they assist learners in other parts of the world to excel in their degrees and master’s courses.
Community Managers Building Bridges
For any product to penetrate the African market, the creators need people who better understand how the product can best sell to the local people. Product managers have good communication skills and are widely accepted in their area of operation.
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Local product managers (community managers) oversee the product development phase by creating road maps, engagement strategies and schedules.
They handle clients’ queries, demanding that they be well-versed with the project details and have good people skills. These web3 employment opportunities leverage cultural understanding, with many projects targeting African markets hiring local community managers.
Accessing Crypto Careers: Pathways to Web3 Employment Opportunities
LinkedIn and Indeed are major platforms to look for these jobs if one has the skills mentioned above or any other skills in the crypto industry.
However, there are job boards that focus on the crypto industry, for example, CryptoJobsList, Alliance, and Angelist. Additionally, creators advertise their products on their websites and social media pages. Networking is also helpful for job seekers to open their qualifications to a larger audience. As the saying goes, your network is your net worth.
Among the biggest misconceptions about the above-highlighted jobs is that they are only available to those with background information on the industry. The narrative further states that acquiring this information is not for everyone. However, a task is only as easy as the amount of will one has to achieve the said task.
