Africa-focused decentralized finance platform Mara said it was releasing a testnet for its upcoming Mara Chain, an Ethereum-compatible layer 2 network that uses MARA tokens for fees, developers told CoinDesk in an email.

Developers in Nigeria and across Africa can build and test their decentralized applications on the Optimism forked Mara Chain. The network comes on the back of the recent launch of the Mara Wallet, which allows users to trade and withdraw both fiat currencies and tokens.

“Blockchain technology has become a necessary utility and infrastructure that is critical and essential to the development of every country, similar to electricity or the internet,” said Chi Nnadi, CEO of Mara, in an email to CoinDesk. “Opportunities abound in Africa that can be harnessed using blockchain as a technology to deliver widespread utility for African people.”

Testnets are networks that mimic real-world blockchains, allowing developers to test applications and the blockchain for any bugs or deficits ahead of a proper launch.

Among some benefits touted by Mara Chain developers are sub-second transactional speeds, low gas fees, and interoperability with other Optimism-based networks.

Meanwhile, developers said Mara is actively seeking feedback from the developer community and partners to ensure continuous improvement of the platform ahead of the mainnet launch.

“By actively engaging with users, Mara aims to strengthen collaboration and create a supportive ecosystem that nurtures the growth of blockchain applications,” a Mara chain representative shared. “There are tangible rewards, bounty grants and development grants for those who work to advance and enhance the capabilities of the Mara Chain.”