Nigerian innovator launches first active Bitcoin Lightning node in the country
A Bitcoin Lightning Network node (BTC) has struck the earth in one of the most challenging operating environments. Lagos, the capital of Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria, welcomed a new Bitcoin Lightning node this week, a vital step to better connect the continent to the layer-2 payments network atop Bitcoin, the Lightning Network (LN).
The node runs on an old laptop powered by a diesel generator as Lagos regularly experiences energy and electricity blackouts.
In a discussion with Cointelegraph, Megasley, who is the first Nigerian Lightning node of 2023 and the first active Lightning node in the country (as other nodes are dormant), Megasley shared his vision for bringing instant and low-cost payments to Africa thanks to the LN.
Megasley explained his wish for Africans to have instant and as close to free as possible payments. “If a Nigerian Bitcoiner and a Nigerian retailer are both connected to a node in Nigeria, it will give them the best lightning experience," Megasley added.
Nigeria Free Routing is live!The lightning network is now alive and routing on the ground in Lagos .Please share and support us by opening a channel to us: https://t.co/nClBZbW4zA pic.twitter.com/hGsKobyjzY
According to the explorer services Mempool and Amboss, the operator is currently the only active node on the map in Nigeria. By spinning up an active node in Nigeria, the operator aims to make lightning payments as accessible as possible to Africans.
When asked about the importance of building out an extensive network of nodes across the globe to facilitate Bitcoin payments, the node runner explained, "If Bitcoin is to succeed it must become a better, easier, faster medium of exchange than the incumbents. To get there we need to build out
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