The Bit Gazette founder, who once sold sachet water to survive, is honored in the 2026 100 Under 40 Awards for reshaping how Africa’s story gets told in global crypto media.

Jeremiah Musa has been named in the 100 Under 40 Africa, an initiative of The Achievers Summit that recognizes young leaders across the continent driving change through innovation and enterprise. Jerry, founder and publisher of The Bit Gazette, was honored in the Media & Communications category, with the awards ceremony held at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island.

The recognition marks a new chapter in a story that started far from Dubai’s skyline, where Jerry now runs his newsroom.

A Childhood Measured in Less Than $100

Jerry grew up in a family of nine in Agbado-Crossing, on the outskirts of Lagos. He attended primary school without shoes and sold sachet water on the streets to get by. Years later, at university, financial pressure nearly ended his education entirely: he was unable to pay a tuition balance of less than $100, and classmates he had previously borrowed from blocked him from entering his final exam hall.

A lecturer, Mr. Boye Ola, intervened, allowing Jerry to sit for his exams on a promise to settle the balance after graduation. That act of trust became the foundation for the career that followed.

Building a Newsroom Africa Didn’t Have

Today Jerry operates from Dubai as founder and publisher of The Bit Gazette. He built the outlet after growing frustrated with how little African perspective shaped global crypto coverage, foreign media discussed the “unbanked” as an abstract statistic, while Jerry had lived that reality directly.

The Bit Gazette runs on a “remote-first, Naija-best” model: rather than outsourcing to agencies in the Middle East, Jerry built a distributed newsroom staffed by Nigerian journalists. “Talent is universal, but opportunity is not,” he said.

He has also drawn a hard line on editorial independence, turning down partnership deals he considers a threat to reader trust or editorial fairness. His goal for the next three years is for The Bit Gazette to become the largest and most trusted tech and crypto news platform across the Middle East and North Africa.

Readers can see that editorial philosophy in the publication’s Expert Analysis section, which brings together its deeper reporting and perspectives on cryptocurrency, blockchain, Web3, digital assets and financial innovation, moving beyond the day’s headlines to examine the forces shaping the industry’s future.

A Dedication to the Streets He Came From

Jerry has dedicated the 100 Under 40 honor to underprivileged children across Africa, those in classrooms with leaking roofs, and those hawking on the street instead of sitting in one. His message to the next generation: “Refusal to accept that where you start is where you finish.”