What does mobile gaming have to do with Africa’s video game market?

Video games and cyber sports thrive in Africa, but only some international games target the continent’s audiences.

According to a report commissioned by analytics company Newzoo and South African gaming platform Carry1st, the number of gamers in sub-Saharan Africa , from 77 million in 2015 to 186 million in 2021. The study shows that this growth is mainly due to the rapid adoption of mobile gaming, with 95% of gamers in the region playing on smartphones or tablets rather than consoles and PCs.

Thanks to the massive influx of people going online and a young and dynamic population, gaming in Africa is growing rapidly. Crucially, it’s not just people playing games but also those who are willing to pay.

According to Newzoo, revenue from games sold in Africa is showing a steady upward trend, reaching $862.8 million in 2022, an 8.7% increase from 2021. The majority of revenue came from mobile games, which accounted for 90% of total video game sales in the region in 2022. It is predicted that gaming revenues in Africa will exceed $1 billion for the first time in 2024. Well into the next decade, Africa could become one of the three .

The gaming industry in Africa shows really promising growth prospects. According to the global trade association of mobile operators, smartphone ownership in Sub-Saharan Africa will grow from 51% in 2022 to 88% in 2030, giving more people access to online gaming platforms. In addition, rapid urbanization and rising incomes of African consumers will likely drive the market for consoles, which are rare and expensive in many African countries.

Sony Innovation Fund, the venture capital arm of consumer electronics giant Sony Corporation, is capitalizing on the long-term growth prospects of the African video game sector.

There is a growing interest in console gaming in Africa, especially in countries such as Nigeria, Morocco and Algeria. However, the official console market in Africa, which includes PlayStation and its competitors such as Xbox, is still underdeveloped. Most gamers in the region rely on local resellers.

More and more Africans are gambling, especially when it comes to online casinos. Leading the user preferences on the continent are operators such as 1win, Parimatch and Melbet, which has the most extensive variety of gambling games. Accessing this catalog is enough , which will take a few moments. The process of funding your account is more challenging, mainly because the online casino provides a variety of payment instruments. All this makes the iGaming sector extremely popular.

Cybersports in Africa are also proliferating due to improved access to high-speed internet and gaming technologies that allow gamers to interact and compete online and broadcast their gameplay to a broader audience. Another factor in the growth of cybersports in Africa is the increasing number of local and international tournaments being held on the continent, especially in South Africa. These events not only give gamers the opportunity to showcase their skills and compete for prizes but also help create a sense of community and unite players from different regions of the continent. But lack of financial support is a major problem for cybersports in Africa.