A Sanctuary for Ethereum Research
ETH Research Village is Africa's first dedicated pop-up city for core protocol research. We are building a bridge between global Ethereum innovation and local African talent.
Date Range
13th April - 28th April, 2026
Venue
Lagos Ethereum Community Hub, Nigeria
Participants
150+ Core Researchers
Research Tracks
4 Distinct Domains
The Vision
Beyond the Consumer Horizon
For too long, Africa has been seen primarily as a consumer of finished technology. The ETH Research Village aims to flip this script. We believe that the unique challenges faced by African developers—from high data costs to financial fragmentation—provide the perfect proving ground for next-generation protocol features.
Deep Research
Moving past the 48-hour hackathon model into month-long deep dives into EIPs and protocol design.
Global Connection
Direct mentorship from the Ethereum Foundation and core teams from across the Superchain.
"Scaling the protocol means scaling the people."
— Village Manifesto
The Location
Why Lagos, Nigeria?
01. High Adoption
Nigeria consistently ranks as one of the top countries globally for grassroots crypto adoption. Blockchain here isn't a luxury; it's a utility for survival and growth.
02. Tech Hub
Lagos is the heartbeat of African fintech, boasting one of the highest concentrations of software developers on the continent. The energy is unmatched.
03. Practical Challenges
The real-world constraints of the Nigerian economy provide the ultimate "stress test" for decentralized systems, ensuring they are truly robust and user-friendly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about the ETH Research Village.
Yes, participation is free. However, residency spots (accommodation) may have a small fee or be merit-based depending on sponsorship availability.
We have limited travel support for high-impact researchers. Mention your need in the residency interest section of the form.
We welcome all levels, but this is a research-focused event. A basic understanding of Ethereum and smart contracts is recommended.
The core research sprints happen in Lagos, but workshops and keynotes will be streamed, and virtual participants can join Discord labs.
It's a metaphor for Ethereum as a decentralized, nurturing ecosystem. We aim to scale this vision with an African lens.