NYOTA (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) New

Active
Tested on the Encointer Gsell testnet in 2023 with mainnet launch targeted for end of September 2023; still listed as an active community in 2026, with follow-up posts ('A Glimpse into the Nyota Community' July 2025, 'Second Glimpse' October 2025, documen

NYOTA ("star" in Swahili) is a community currency with a local basic income in the Mbuharati neighbourhood of Dar es Salaam, built on the Encointer protocol and grown out of existing Village Community Banks (VICOBAs). Participants who show up at recurring in-person gatherings are issued NYT, set at 50 NYT per participant per month, pegged at 1 NYT = 1,000 Tanzanian shillings. It was Encointer's first African community and is still listed as active in 2026.

Funding
Non-state
https://encointer.org/a-star-for-dar-es-salaam/
Blockchain

Encointer parachain on Kusama (tested on Encointer Gsell testnet)

Social identity

Encointer key-signing gatherings (in-person mutual attestation) provide sybil resistance without state ID; built on existing VICOBA micro-savings meetups.

Social mining

Universal issuance per attending participant per cycle, unconditional on work.

Token economics

50 NYT per participant per month; pegged 1 NYT = 1,000 TZS.

Governance

Local community team plus the Encointer Association; partner organisation Jukumu.

Key people

Local team: Bujo, Victor, Teresia, David; Encointer Association (Alain Brenzikofer)

Locations
Dar es Salaam (Mbuharati), Tanzania
Links
A Star for Dar es Salaam (Encointer, Aug 2023)
Encointer — Our Communities
Notes

Tested on the Encointer Gsell testnet in 2023 with mainnet launch targeted for end of September 2023; still listed as an active community in 2026, with follow-up posts ('A Glimpse into the Nyota Community' July 2025, 'Second Glimpse' October 2025, documentary video 2026).

- Contact with Encointer began at the Dot Safari conference in Kenya in 2023.
- Runs on the Encointer platform (listed separately) but is a distinct local program.