Thank you @btrustteam and @btrust_builders for recognizing my work in the bitcoin open-source ecosystem and for granting me this much needed support.
I look forward to doing much more 🚀
Starter Grant Recipient:
1/ @Thevelopher
Focus Area: Enhancing Lightning Network Daemon (LND) and @lightningpolar
Abdullahi is a @btrust_builders cohort 3 alumna, and has demonstrated outstanding contributions to Bitcoin’s open-source projects.
Lightning⚡ is best known as a network for fast bitcoin payments. But what if the same infrastructure could also carry private messages?
That’s the idea behind onion messages🧅. They rely on onion encryption, a technique where data is wrapped in multiple layers of encryption, like layers of an onion. As the message travels through the network, each node removes just one layer, learning only where the message came from and where it should go next. No single node ever sees the full route or the original sender and final recipient.
In this article, @Thevelopher explores how onion messages work, how they differ from traditional payment routing, and how they’re being implemented in LND. The piece also looks at why this small protocol change could turn Lightning into more than just a payment network.
If you’re curious about how Lightning might evolve into a private communication layer, read the full blog to learn more: https://t.co/SaVnYL4jzT
⚡️ Donations are now open to support Polar.
https://t.co/vZzfUHvvwG
Polar has been fully open source and free to the Bitcoin dev community for over 6 years, and it’s grown thanks to the community:
✨ 800+ GitHub stars
✅ 30K+ downloads
🔨 40+ code contributors
🧵
Polar v4 also now supports automated simulations of realistic payment activity within your Lightning networks. This was made possible by integrating the sim-ln tool (https://t.co/EoVsJtwyzw) into Polar. H/T @Thevelopher
🔥 Announcing the release of Polar v4.0.0! 🚀
You can now use your AI agents to control the nodes in your Lightning networks using the integrated MCP server.
Check out this Cursor agent confirming the balances displayed in my demo app are accurate.
We’re excited to have @Extheo, CEO and co‑founder of @mavapay, joining the #BtrustDeveloperDay lineup.🚀
Theo is a dedicated bitcoin advocate and builder working to expand bitcoin adoption and infrastructure across the African continent.
As CEO of Mavapay, he’s pioneering payment systems that connect African businesses to the global bitcoin economy.
An alumnus of the @btrust_builders program, Theo has led developer workshops and bootcamps across Nigeria 🇳🇬 and Ghana 🇬🇭, and remains deeply engaged in building open‑source tools that advance real‑world bitcoin use.
His focus on technical education in the Global South has inspired and trained a new generation of builders across the bitcoin ecosystem.
In the workshop, Theo, @Thevelopher and @SulaimanAminuB2 will walk participants through the practical process of deploying an LND node environment, and integrating it with NodeGaze, an open‑source observability tool for visualizing real‑time channel health, payments, and system events.
Theo will also be part of the Lightning Round Q&A, alongside other global contributors and African builders. This session gives you the chance to ask questions about contribution paths, opportunities and challenges, so come prepared with your questions.
👉 Learn more and RSVP here to attend: https://t.co/eD9Eolxgq6
We’re excited to have @Thevelopher, software engineer and Btrust grantee, speaking at the #BtrustDeveloperDay.
Abdullahi contributes to LND, one of the open‑source implementations of the Lightning Network, where his work focuses on implementing the onion message protocol, optimizing the network graph, and developing rigorous tests to enhance system stability.
At the Developer Day, Abdullahi will join @Extheo and @SulaimanAminuB2 for a hands-on workshop.
The workshop will guide participants through the process of setting up a Lightning node, configuring it for reliability, and maintaining privacy and stability through best practices.
Attendees will also learn how to automate key tasks to optimize performance and streamline operations, gaining practical insights into how professional developers manage Lightning nodes at scale.
👉 RSVP now to secure your spot: https://t.co/eD9Eolxgq6
We’re happy to have @pins_btc joining us as a speaker at the upcoming #BtrustDeveloperDay! ⚡
Pins is a @Vinteum_org grantee currently contributing to LND (Lightning Network Daemon).
His journey into Bitcoin development is a powerful example of passion meeting persistence. After starting his career as a software developer, Pins transitioned to commercial and sales roles in cybersecurity within major tech companies. Yet, his love for Bitcoin and open-source software reignited his drive to get back to hands-on coding.
Over the past two years, Pins has dedicated himself to relearning programming and has been actively contributing to the LND codebase.
At Developer Day, Pins will lead a hands-on workshop titled Taproot Lightning Channels from Scratch, designed for developers eager to dive deep into the Taproot transactions required to create and operate simple Taproot channels.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn directly from Pins and strengthen your understanding of how Bitcoin’s latest protocol upgrades expand the possibilities of the Lightning Network.
RSVP now to secure your spot: https://t.co/eD9Eolxgq6
@ihate1999, Btrust CEO and @bitcoincoreorg contributor, joins the #BtrustDeveloperDay lineup to share insights on the future of Bitcoin development across Africa. 🎉
Abubakar is one of the leading voices shaping the continent’s Bitcoin ecosystem, and also serves as CEO of @RcrsvCapital, a bitcoin-focused venture fund fueling innovative projects across the global bitcoin landscape.
Through his leadership at Btrust, he drives initiatives that empower developers in the Global South with training and mentorship, helping cultivate the next generation of Bitcoin builders.
Beyond his technical and community-building work, Abubakar contributes to @Forbes Digital Assets, where he shares thoughtful analysis on Bitcoin’s evolution and highlights key developments within Africa’s growing Bitcoin space.
Join Developer Day to hear Abubakar’s vision for a decentralized, sustainable Bitcoin ecosystem and the work being done to unlock Africa’s potential in global Bitcoin development.
👉 Secure your spot here: https://t.co/eD9Eolxgq6
I want to say a huge thank you to @jack for starting this historic initiative. Thank you to everyone who has helped us along the way, the team, mentors, and community.
The Global Majority will lead Bitcoin development and ensure we all continue to have freedom money 🫂❤️
Congratulations lil bro @ihate1999 !!! 🥳
Chief Executive Officer @btrustteam ✅
Well deserved! Open-source #Bitcoin development in the global south is in good hands! 🔥🌍
Keep inspiring & stay focused! Youngest in charge! 🫡
We love you & forever proud of you!! ❤️
In July, we put out a call for a Chief Executive Officer, and after a long, thoughtful, and rigorous selection process, we’re excited to share that @ihate1999 has been appointed as the new CEO of Btrust.
Abubakar will be stepping down from his position on the Board to take on this full-time role, where he will report directly to the Btrust Board.
His appointment marks an important new chapter for Btrust as we continue our mission to strengthen and support open-source development across Africa and beyond.
This is a three-year term, with the possibility of renewal by a subsequent board for one additional three-year period.
Read more about the appointment, as featured by @micahvzimmerman on @BitcoinMagazine: https://t.co/Hy8J1VTTBQ
Join us in congratulating Abubakar on this new role and in looking forward to what’s ahead for us.
It was nice speaking at @dakarbtcdays 🇸🇳 about Bitcoin open source contribution .
It's high time we saw more devs from francophone African countries actively contributing to Bitcoin open source.
Thanks to efforts from @btrustteam and all involved.
It’s day 2 at @dakarbtcdays 🇸🇳
@Thevelopher shared valuable insights on how developers can start their journey in Bitcoin open-source, with actionable tips and a discussion on what it takes to get started.