IOTA’s ADAPT Initiative Aims to Transform African Trade

Zach Anderson
Dec 16, 2025 10:58

IOTA’s ADAPT initiative seeks to revolutionize trade across Africa by establishing a shared digital infrastructure, potentially doubling intra-African trade by 2035.

The IOTA Foundation is embarking on a significant mission to transform trade across the African continent through its ADAPT initiative, which stands for African Digital Access and Public Infrastructure for Trade. According to the IOTA Blog, this initiative aims to establish a unified digital infrastructure that could potentially double intra-African trade by 2035, unlocking over $70 billion in additional annual trade.

Partnering on Trade Digitalization

ADAPT plans to implement its technology across 55 African countries, focusing on reducing border clearance times by up to 80%. This endeavor is supported by key partnerships, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, and the World Economic Forum. These collaborations are crucial as they bring together organizations with extensive experience and robust networks across the continent.

The launch event in Johannesburg was a pivotal moment for the initiative, providing a platform for discussions with partners and stakeholders. Notably, IOTA’s co-founder, Dominik Schiener, met with H.E. Secretary General Wamkele Mene of AfCFTA, who expressed strong support for overcoming the challenges in executing the ADAPT initiative.

Overcoming Challenges

Although the vision is ambitious, IOTA acknowledges the potential challenges in uniting diverse actors and interests within African trade. However, the foundation believes in the efficacy of its technology, which has already been successfully deployed in countries like Kenya, Rwanda, and the UK. The technology’s proven track record provides confidence in scaling its application across Africa.

Schiener’s interview with CNBC Africa’s Godfrey Mutizwa further underscored IOTA’s commitment to this transformative project. Despite recognizing past failures by others in streamlining intra-African trade, Schiener emphasized that the success of ADAPT hinges on strategic partnerships and the robustness of IOTA’s technological solutions.

Future Steps

The next phase of the ADAPT initiative is set to commence in early 2026, with the program launching in its first African country. By the end of the year, additional rollouts are planned, including in Kenya. These steps mark the beginning of what IOTA envisions as a long-term effort to create a more dynamic and equitable trade environment in Africa.

With the foundations in place and a compelling business case, IOTA is poised to drive significant change in African trade, leveraging its technology to foster economic growth and integration across the continent.

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