HakiFedha/sheria-index

Africa Bitcoin & Digital Asset Regulatory Frameworks: A civil society risk assessment index. # Sheria Index: Africa Bitcoin and Digital Assets Regulatory Frameworks **Methodology and Framework** **Version 1.0 | July 2026** --- ## About the Name *Sheria* means **law** in Swahili. The Sheria Index is a companion research project to the Africa Financial Tyranny Index (AFTI), maintained by HakiFedha as part of its commitment to producing open, freely available research that helps civil society actors across Africa understand and navigate the financial and legal environments in which they operate. > **📌 Project Status: Beta / Work in Progress** > > The Sheria Index is actively expanding. The initial data repository is undergoing continuous verification as regulatory landscapes shift across the continent. We are systematically updating country entries, and community contributions or verified regional corrections are highly encouraged. --- ## Data The latest dataset is available as: - **CSV:** github.com --- # Purpose The Sheria Index tracks the regulatory status of Bitcoin and digital assets across Africa. It is designed to answer a question that existing regulatory trackers do not: > **What does the regulatory landscape mean specifically for civil society actors?** This includes: - NGOs - journalists & researchers - activists - human rights defenders - whistleblowers - community organisers & organisations - independent media Most existing crypto regulatory analysis is produced for exchanges, institutional investors, or legal compliance teams. The Sheria Index is produced for people for whom Bitcoin is not primarily a financial opportunity, but a tool of financial sovereignty, operational continuity, and resistance to censorship. --- # Methodology Principles The Sheria Index follows five core research principles: ### Evidence-Based Each country assessment is based on verifiable sources, including legislation, regulatory instruments, official government statements, international …