Meet Donaldson Nukunu Sackey. He is a Togolese international football star turned cryptocurrency entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Timeless Capital Technology.
His cryptocurrency, the Timeless Capital Coin, is powered by an ecosystem of Blockchain-based tools and services, designed for entrepreneurs of developing countries in Africa and elsewhere, Sackey told TogoFirst. The Timeless Capital Coin also allows entrepreneurs to convert cash into cryptocurrencies.
“This could be a blessing for African countries; it will help governments overcome the main barriers to development, such as high inflation, embezzlement, and corruption,” Sackey said.
The Togolese entrepreneur said last year that one special feature about Timeless Capital that gives it an edge over other technologies is that it will have a physical cryptocurrency bank in the future. This will then allow customers to convert their cryptocurrency to cash or buy it from Timeless Capital Cryptocurrency Bank.
The unique feature of this cryptocurrency platform, according to Sackey, puts people in a position to materialize the “African dream.” Despite the continent’s massive population, it is still struggling to exploit its digital economy, he asserted.
“There is no doubt that the potential is huge as more than half of the population is under 25. Our goal is to train this youth on cryptocurrency and allow them to learn about it,” he said.
“A lot of people in Africa use more than one phone and don’t have a bank account, so why not use this feature to create a platform with a banking system? This would allow entrepreneurs in Africa, including those in Togo, to harness their digital economy.”
Sackey has always been interested in technology even during his heyday as a professional footballer. His father was a computer scientist who stimulated his interest in technology. The footballer turned tech entrepreneur recalled fixing broken computers as early as age 12. Later, he attended business school, and alongside his football career, he started studying computer science at the University of Applied Sciences.
“For me, launching a cryptocurrency that is dedicated to Togo is a service rendered to the country,” said the Togolese international and professional footballer, who has appeared twice in Forbes magazine.
Sackey said his vision for Africa is to make the continent the next big hub for fintech, citing the growth of M-Pesa, which has been around since 2007. According to him, Blockchain or cryptocurrency technology is Africa’s future and it is time for Africans to embrace it.
“As a Togolese, I see a lot of potential for this country because cryptocurrency is not yet widespread in West Africa. If we look at mobile money companies like M-Pesa which has been operating since 2007 and now dominates the mobile money market, I think we should always be open to innovations at their early stages, instead of being latecomers,” said Sackey, who owns several businesses in Europe and Africa.
Raised in Hamburg, Germany, Sackey spent his early football career in Germany, Spain and Netherlands, playing for Hertha BSC, Tennis Borussia Berlin, Compostela, FC Oss and Oststeinbeker SV. He made his international debut for Togo in 2011. As a stylist, he founded the CPxArt fashion brand with his partner Sainey Sidibeh, and the luxury brand’s work has included the ‘Wu Wear’ for the hip hop group Wu Tang Clan.
