Africa’s gaming industry is accelerating toward a global breakthrough, and experts say Nigeria has a narrow window to position itself as a continental leader.
With rising consumer demand, a growing talent base, and projections placing global appetite for African gaming content at about $28 billion in the next decade, investors argue that the country must build the infrastructure and capital required to power the next generation of studios.
Joseph Wilson explained at the MaliyoCon Investor Breakfast Event held on Friday, December 12, 2025, at KPMG Lagos. “The next wave of games won’t be from London, LA, or Tokyo; they’ll be from Lagos, Lusaka, and Accra,” he said, describing Africa’s emerging creator ecosystem as one of the most promising globally.
While interest in the sector has surged, industry stakeholders say Nigeria has yet to unlock the fundamentals required to compete at scale. They point to three persistent constraints: inadequate training, inconsistent product quality, and underdeveloped platforms as the main barriers preventing the country from capturing a larger share of the fast-growing market.
Although young Nigerians are increasingly experimenting with game development, many lack the structured preparation needed to meet international standards. As David Olamide put it, “There’s a need for training to move game-making from a hobby to a job.”
Developers also face pressure to create genuinely enjoyable games. Wilson said many studios misinterpret the root causes of failure. “Belief that failure is a marketing or distribution issue is wrong. Product is king if you build it, they’ll come,” he said, arguing that successful studios are built on compelling intellectual property, not branding alone.
Read also: Africa’s gaming industry records $1bn revenue in 2024 – KPMG
Beyond the creative challenges, investors say founders must build with discipline and a long-term view. Mathias Norvig noted that funding typically follows clarity and competence, not hype. “Good work will bring good metrics to impress investors,” he said.
On timing, Hugo Obi, founder of Maliyo Games, added that investor confidence grows when founders demonstrate consistency. “Start on the ground floor, investors invest in people. Give money and then a progress report, not excuses,” he said.
But even with growing interest, funding remains limited. African studios still rely heavily on foreign capital, a dynamic they say restricts the scale of local innovation. Afolabi Esan, an investor, said the absence of homegrown capital weakens the sector’s growth prospects. “We don’t have African capital. Maybe that’s why the gaming industry is not strong. We need to get African investors to recognise the industry,” he said.
Despite these gaps, data indicate that the opportunity in Africa is expanding rapidly. Global demand for African gaming content could reach $28 billion by 2035, driven by cultural momentum, diaspora spending, and a young, mobile-first population.
Africa’s gaming market itself is projected at about $11 billion, with Sub-Saharan Africa expected to grow at roughly 25 percent annually, excluding South Africa. More than 200 million Africans in the diaspora with rising incomes and a $75 billion annual remittance flow are increasingly serving as early adopters and amplifiers of culturally resonant content.
The global market landscape also reflects the scale of the opportunity. Mobile games generated $92.6 billion in revenue in 2024, while console and PC titles earned $51.9 billion and $43.2 billion, respectively.
As smartphone penetration increases across Africa, stakeholders say gaming could become one of the continent’s most dynamic digital industries. Estimates shared at the event suggest that launching a Nigerian studio requires between $10,000 and $20,000 monthly, depending on team size and project scope modest compared to international production costs.
Africa’s broader cultural rise from Afrobeats dominating global streaming charts to Nollywood’s growing presence on platforms like Netflix shows that African intellectual property can scale across borders. Gaming is the next frontier in this cultural export wave.
Lawrence Amadi, Partner & Head, TMT Africa at KPMG, said the industry is positioned for long-term value creation if it attracts sustained investment. “I’m confident about the industry, and it requires patient capital,” he said.
Obi added that the sector is entering a decisive phase. “2026 is here, the future is here. We need to keep the conversation going,” he said.
Nigeria is standing at a turning point. With global demand rising, cultural momentum on its side, and millions of young people ready to participate, the country could become a major force in global gaming, but only if training, funding, and strategic investment align now.
