Though the hype around NFTs has died down, the technology behind them is here to stay. Sales are booming, market capitalizations caching in the billions, and institutional investors are circling. But beneath the glossy headlines, a disturbing trend is emerging: the NFT space is becoming increasingly exclusive, leaving African creators and collectors stranded on the digital sidelines.

We’re being sold the false narrative that NFTs are democratizing art, empowering creators and building a new digital economy. The data paints a different picture. Sales volume increased by almost 50% to more than half a billion dollars in just July 2025. At the same time, active buyers dropped 17%. What does this mean? It means more people are spending less money.

Average NFT sale value reached six-month high $113.08. That might not sound like much to someone in Silicon Valley, but consider this: according to the World Bank, the average per capita income in Sub-Saharan Africa is around $1,600 per year. How can a young culture worker in Lagos, Nairobi or Johannesburg even begin to imagine being part of a marketplace like that? After all, the average product is more than a week’s budget on food.

It takes me back to the advent of the internet. The initial promise was connecting the entire globe. In the early days, only those who owned high-end computers and had access to high-speed internet could utilize it. We don’t want to make the same mistake with NFTs and create an entirely new digital divide, one that reproduces and compounds real-world inequities.

Ethereum’s recent price surge has electrified its NFT environment, quite literally creating the leading blockchain for high-value NFTs. While this is wonderful news for investors with ETH in their wallets, it might be the worst news imaginable for accessibility. Ethereum’s gas fees have gained a reputation for being quite expensive. Unfortunately, this has made it prohibitively expensive for most Africans to purchase, sell or mint NFTs.

Now picture that same talented Ghanaian artist being able to sell that colorful new digital artwork she just made. They set it out for sale at an affordable price, merely wanting to be compensated sufficiently to provide for their family. Once someone looking to collect something NFTs has to consider the outrageous gas fees, their offered price isn’t worth it. The result is a deeply frustrated and demoralized artist, and the potential buyer goes looking elsewhere. This is the reality of most creators in Africa.

This dominance of Ethereum is not merely a technical issue. It is a decidedly political one. It embodies a broader, entrenched inequity that disproportionately rewards those with capital and resources and punishes those without. We need to ask ourselves: are we building a decentralized future, or simply replicating the inequalities of the old world on a blockchain?

The other day I caught up with Thabo. He’s a young South African entrepreneur with the goal of creating an NFT marketplace specifically tailored to African artists. He imagined an open platform where artists and collectors could find each other and was committed to helping creators of all types earn a sustainable living. He quickly ran into problems. Operating on Ethereum is costly. Further compounding that, his intended audience — people in low-income neighborhoods — have very little economic purchasing power, which makes the project unsustainable.

We set out to make something that would uplift our community into more meaningful spaces,” Thabo explained to me. Yet it always seemed like we were swimming upstream. Unfortunately, the NFT space is not really built for folks like us.

Thabo's story is not unique. All over Africa, extremely talented artists and entrepreneurs are getting priced out of the NFT market. In doing so, we’re robbing ourselves of a tremendous source of creativity, innovation, and cultural expression. We're missing out on the opportunity to use NFTs as a tool for economic empowerment, creating jobs, and building sustainable communities.

The situation is urgent. While the NFT market is consolidating around a few wealthy players, a generation of African creators is being left behind. We have to move quickly if we want to make sure that NFTs fulfill their potential to be deeply inclusive and accessible.

We need to demand change. Fractionalized NFTs, where ownership of one NFT is split between a number of investors, could make it more accessible. Alternative blockchains with less expensive transaction fees would offer a cheaper cost of entry for African creators. Community-focused actions, like grants, mentorship programs, and educational resources, might go a long way in supporting African artists and empowering their communities.

We have to push back on the idea that NFTs are just a speculative scam focused on profit. Done well, they can be a powerful tool for cultural preservation, artistic expression, and community building. So let’s get more attention and excitement on these positive applications and chisel out a path forward together toward a more inclusive, equitable NFT ecosystem.

The future of NFTs in Africa is not yet written. Whether it’s a dream or a nightmare that all depends on the choices we make today. Will we go further down this road of exclusion and consolidation, or will we commit to a more inclusive vision of our industry? The answer is up to us. Let’s not repeat the same mistakes and allow NFTs to become just another technology that excludes Africans. Join us as we write a future where everyone truly gets a chance to compete and thrive in the digital economy. The time to act is now.

Time For Action, Time For Change

What can we do? We need to demand change. Fractionalized NFTs, where ownership of a single NFT is divided among multiple investors, could lower the barrier to entry. Alternative blockchains with lower transaction fees could provide a more affordable platform for African creators. Community-led initiatives, such as grants, mentorship programs, and educational resources, could help to support and empower African artists.

We also need to challenge the narrative that NFTs are only about speculation and profit. They can be a powerful tool for cultural preservation, artistic expression, and community building. Let's focus on these positive applications and work together to create a more inclusive and equitable NFT ecosystem.

The future of NFTs in Africa is not predetermined. It depends on the choices we make today. Will we continue down the path of exclusivity and consolidation, or will we embrace a more inclusive vision? The answer is up to us. Let's not let NFTs become another example of a technology that leaves Africans behind. Let's build a future where everyone has the opportunity to participate in the digital economy. The time to act is now.