Bitcoin-Focussed Initiative, B-Trust, Appoints Nigerian CEO to Lead Global Bitcoin Development

Months after launching a global search for its first Chief Executive Officer, nonprofit Bitcoin development fund Btrust has officially appointed Abubakar Nur Khalil, a Nigerian Bitcoin Core contributor and advocate for open-source development, as CEO.

The November 2025 appointment follows a rigorous selection process. At just 25 years old, Khalil transitions from his previous role as interim CEO and non-voting board member to take up the position full-time for a three-year renewable term.

Driving Bitcoin’s Growth in Emerging Markets

Before this appointment, Btrust operated without a permanent CEO and was overseen by a board of trustees established in December 2021 – comprising:

• Obi Nwosu
• Carla Kirk-Cohen
• Ojoma Ochai, and
• Abubakar Nur Khalil himself.

As CEO, Khalil will guide Btrust into its next phase of expansion, focusing on building scalable systems, supporting developer communities across

• Africa
• Latin America, and
• India,

and deepening global partnerships.

His appointment underscores Btrust’s mission to empower developers in under-represented regions to build open, censorship-resistant Bitcoin infrastructure.

Khalil previously co-founded Btrust Builders, an initiative within Btrust that identifies and nurtures emerging Bitcoin developers.

His contributions span Bitcoin Core, Bitcoin Dev Kit, and several open-source educational initiatives aimed at onboarding African engineers into the Bitcoin ecosystem.

Commenting on his new role, Khalil stated that he aims to “strengthen the organization’s systems and scale its impact in 2026 and beyond, ensuring that Bitcoin continues to be a money that works for everyone worldwide.”

Btrust’s Origins and Vision

Btrust was established in 2021 following a 500 BTC donation (then worth approximately $21.5 million) from Jack Dorsey, former Twitter CEO, and Jay-Z, the U.S. entertainment mogul. The nonprofit’s goal is to accelerate Bitcoin adoption and development across Africa and other emerging regions by funding open-source projects and training developers.

Over the past three years, Btrust has supported a wide range of developer training programs and open-source grants, including the Africa Open Source Cohort. In 2023, it acquired Qala, rebranding it as Btrust Builders – a flagship initiative for training Bitcoin and Lightning Network developers across the continent.

To date, Btrust has disbursed around $1.7 million in funding, with more than half going directly to developers, fostering grassroots innovation and strengthening Bitcoin’s open-source ecosystem. The organization has also partnered with Tether, OpenSATS, African Bitcoiners, and other groups to support local BitDevs meetups and developer bootcamps.

Strengthening Bitcoin Infrastructure Worldwide

In Q3 2025, Btrust awarded grants to six African developers through its Developer Grant Program, funding projects focused on:

• Wallet interoperability
• Lightning Network resilience, and
• Privacy-preserving payments.

Speculating on this development, the Abubakar appointment reportedly comes after a rigorous process that started in July 2025.

In August 2025, B-Trust floated yet another role for a contract account. As published by BitKE, the role was for ‘a skilled accountant (part-time) to strengthen its financial systems and ensure sound financial reporting and management during our current critical phase of growth. The Accountant will help set up streamlined accounting processes, maintain accurate records, balance books, and ensure compliance with non-profit accounting standards.

This is a short-term contract (5 months) with the possibility of renewal, aimed at supporting Btrust as it scales programs and operations globally.‘

B-Trust had been operating without a CEO since its inception and these two important apppointments in succession raise concerns on the previous management of the organization. Whether the moves are towards demonstrating greater accountability or just streaming operations, the appointments were clearly needed to push the initiative to the next level.

Khalil’s appointment marks a major milestone for Btrust as it continues to fulfill its vision: advancing global Bitcoin development through local leadership, sustainable funding, and open collaboration.

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