Today I had the honors to host @enockagbo1 @desmond41 and @james_jkat in my office in Accra Ghana to discuss and see how we can team up to work on the first ever Steem to Ghana Cedis (GHS) exchange platform.
To read more about how this exchange will work, @enockagbo1 has done a good job about it here https://steemit.com/steemit/@enockagbo1/merging-with-mtn-digital-money-system-mobile-money. This post will focus on what the plans are going forward.
Why I joined Steem
For this project to make sense, I need to start from why I joined Steem. I've been on Steemit for 18days now, I came on for two main reasons which I have outlined below. In my day job, I lead a team of 20, out of which 10 are engineers, hacking our startup with node js for the backend react js for front, python for our machine learning and we recently started using kafka for our queuing. I paused on actively writing code 3 years ago and took some love in growth hacking but recently I have been playing around with GO.
I am also an occasional day trader on Binance and I noticed that Steemit has showed up there for me that was interesting. Before I hodl any coin, I like to try and see if I will use it in real life, so I joined Steemit and the fun began.
I become a tech entrepreneur 8years ago because I wanted to build something that matters, change lives, become a source of inspiration for the younger generation and be able to buy an Island one day :). One of my pet projects I am working on is an exchange from BTC to Ghana Cedis (GHS) to allow people to easily buy and sell bitcoin. I believe in BTC so much that I think it will change the way we do business one day. This exchange I am working with 3 friends is suppose to make it easy for the people of Ghana to join the train as soon as we can. But when I joined Steem, I noticed something interesting. I noticed that the Ghanaian community was really strong and active so right there and then I spoke with my team to support Steem and BTC. My CTO for this project took a look at the Steem API and we agreed it was a done deal.
PS: If I become the president of Ghana one day, I will give 6 months tax free and full projection for Crypo currency companies that moves to and start their business from Ghana. Watch out for this space.
How we met @enockagbo1 and the team
5 days ago @enockagbo1 made a post https://steemit.com/steemitghana/@enockagbo1/ghana-s-first-steem-sbd-to-fiat-exchange-platform-under-development#@black-man/re-enockagbo1-ghana-s-first-steem-sbd-to-fiat-exchange-platform-under-development-20180219t060806047z about the same idea I am working on. I commented on it telling him, I was working on a similar thing and so we can work together. We started having baby chats on discord and eventually met to day to put down a plan today.
What is the plan and the way forward.
We agreed that I work with my team and release the app while @enockagbo1 and his team work on creating a community and bring more people on to Steem so when the app goes live we will have early users. This also means that all the people that @enockagbo1 @desmond41 and @james_jkat will signup on Steem will join a great community and be on the road to what I call financial independence. These dudes have awesome ideas on how they are going to bring people on to Steem. I hope they Steem about it. If I am the first to use the term (STEEM ABOUT IT) then I am trademarking it hehehe, just kidding.
The app will come in various stages.
Stage 1.
A responsive web app that every desktop, laptop, tablet or smart phone user can use in 3 simple steps exchange their Steem/SBD to GHS via mobile money and bank deposit. Our business development lead has contacts with some of the biggest banks in Ghana since he has partnered with them on different projects and is taking the lead on this.
Stage 2.
A SMS base exchange which will allow non-smart phone users to also take part in the exchange. If someone is able to execute @ackza idea he wrote about here https://steemit.com/africa/@ackza/ideas-for-mobile-steem-sbd-and-solar-phone-mobile-banking-and-laptop-charging-stations-with-mtn-lumio-battery-kits-for-villages , then this part of the system becomes really useful.
Stage 3.
We will finally introduce Andriod and an IOS app that will also allow quick exchange from Steem to GHS
Stage 4
The final stage, where we introduce at least 3 ATM machines in Accra and Kumasi for Steem / SBD to GHS exchange using barcode reader. I have had to opportunity of studying one for BTC in Zurich last year.
Let me know what you guys think, all suggestions are welcome. Greater things are coming to #TeamGhana #TeamAccra
