ZoneBitcoin EditorialAfrican-based companies involved in Bitcoin mining have come together to create the Green Africa Mining Alliance (GAMA). GAMA’s explicit goal is to contribute to the development of the mining industry in Africa while respecting the Sustainable Development Goals.
Recently, GAMA launched an aid and support program for individuals or businesses who wish to enter this industry. The alliance will help new miners by providing them with necessary equipment, resources and general support.
The challenges facing bitcoin miners in Africa
At present, Bitcoin mining in Africa still remains a minor activity. However, in recent years, operators have settled on the continent to deploy their activities there. This is particularly the case for members of the alliance TYPE which includes companies such as Gridless installed in Kenya, Trojan Mining in Nigeria and BigBlock Data Center based in Congo.
In North Africa, there are also individual and clandestine minors, particularly in Egypt which benefit from relatively low electricity prices compared to the rest of the world.
However, generally speaking, mining in Africa is extremely minority with only 1% global hash rate. And for good reason, it is an extremely complex activity, with many challenges to overcome. The lack of expertise of agents, the difficulty in obtaining the necessary equipment and a deficiency in legal regulations constitute the main obstacles to overcome for minors based in Africa.
The objectives of the GAMA alliance
In order to help resolve the problems faced by minors in Africa, the GAMA alliance has set itself several objectives:
- Increase the geographic distribution of mining around the world, giving a place to Africa, in order to increasingly decentralize the Bitcoin network.
- Help and assist new miners to find renewable energy sources.
- Catalyze electrification in Africa through the installation of new operators in strategic locations.
- Providing a body of knowledge and research to help policymakers better understand the Bitcoin mining industry.
Overall, the GAMA alliance seeks to drive and participate in the development of Bitcoin mining in Africa, powered by renewable energies.
Lately, GAMA has also launched a startup program to help new miners get started.
What does the GAMA bootstrap program contain?
In the interest of democratization, the program is open to everyone, without any restrictions. Any organization or person interested in the program can apply directly via the form posted on the site.
If the candidates are selected, they will then benefit from 5 mining devices "ASICs" reconditioned so that they can begin their activities. Candidates will be able to obtain them at a reduced price, also including a reduction in possible shipping and customs costs.
During the first 3 months of activity, the teams responsible for the GAMA assistance program will support the new miners. Once they are familiar with the equipment, they will then be able to obtain 10 other ASICs with the same conditions.
The idea of the program is to make bitcoin mining accessible to people who want to get started but who do not have the knowledge or finances necessary to do so.
The rise of interest in Bitcoin mining in Africa
Obviously, Bitcoin mining in Africa is gaining popularity among mining companies on the one hand and among local entrepreneurs. During the second edition of the conference Africa Bitcoin Conference which took place in Ghana, an interactive workshop on bitcoin mining was organized by members of the GAMA alliance. The idea being to arouse interest among a wider population.
More and more initiatives are being organized in this direction, such as the "Africa Bitcoin Mining Summit", which is more of an event organized by miners for miners located in Africa.
Many people in Africa see bitcoin mining on the continent as a way to meet sustainable development goals while opening up the local economy to a new sector that can prove lucrative. Even more, bitcoin mining could also contribute to the electrification of the most remote regions. It is certainly this point that pushes many communities of bitcoiners to consider mining as an axis of economic development on the continent, as evidenced by the Mano project in Ethiopia.
Recall that according toInternational Energy Agency (IEA), 600 million people, or approximately 43% of the African population, do not have full access to electricity. Most of them are found in sub-Saharan Africa.
Mining as an economic and ecological opportunity
Finally, the mining sector in Africa is growing and experiencing rapid developments. This opens new perspectives for certain economies while respecting sustainable development objectives.
So, while bitcoin mining still attracts strong criticism regarding the electricity consumption it generates, it is important to remember thateu more than half of energy comes from renewable energies, and this ecological trend in mining is consolidated from year to year. It is also an opportunity for African regions to benefit from cheaper and therefore more accessible energy.
Initiatives like those proposed by the GAMA alliance are striking examples of this awareness.
