Glancing down the speakers’ list for this week’s Blockchain Africa Conference, it’s immediately clear that there are more local speakers than international ones. In conferences past, the origin of speakers was skewed to the international, but as the skills base widens, more local presenters are emerging.

The conference has also grown, and this year spills over to Cape Town. Here, premier Helen Zille will be speaking along with Beverley Ann Schäfer, the province’s minister of economic opportunities. The province is seeking economic growth through skills development and education, particularly around blockchain and cryptocurrencies.