Every industry has its unique challenges and the mobile games industry in Africa is no stranger to economic and infrastructural hurdles. One primary issue holding companies and startups back is funding.
Unlike other regions, African games companies seldom receive government funding, with only 3% of industry respondents indicating they have ever accessed such support according to an Africa Games Industry report by Maliyo Games.
A lack of funding and infrastructure
Just 36% of respondents from a survey have applied for or participated in any accelerator or support program, highlighting a lack of available support options specifically tailored to the region’s games sector.
Funding aside, the government also has a role to play in growing the African games industry as it is heavily reliant on infrastructure. More than three-quarters of respondents identified stable power supply and affordable, high-speed internet as essential to their activities.
However, the current state of infrastructure is a concern as majority of respondents (60%) affirmed that power supply in the region is poor or very poor, and 57% indicated that internet access is unaffordable from their locations.
Mobile internet and smartphone penetration
When smartphones were introduced in Africa in the early 2000s, they transformed communication and connectivity. Today, mobile phones are widespread across the continent, serving a variety of functions from internet access and social media use to mobile payments and more!
And that is why mobile remains Africa’s biggest platform of choice when it comes to video games. In fact, a 2021 GSMA report found that there were 515 million unique mobile subscribers in Sub-Saharan Africa, and this number is projected to rise to 613 million by 2025, setting the stage for the mobile games industry to flourish.
Africa’s leading mobile publisher Carry1st, is already playing a decent role in growing the region’s games industry by providing gamers with alternative payment methods that include localised payment gateways, making it easy for players to purchase in-game items and access premium content.
Opportunities for the future
Despite the lack of funding and infrastructural challenges, video games in Africa present significant opportunities as well. The increasing penetration of smartphones, coupled with a young, tech-savvy population, provides the continent with a fertile ground for the growth of its games industry.
With improved infrastructure and better access to support programs, Africa’s video game companies have the potential to thrive, as we’ve seen with some of the leading companies in the region that are already contributing to the continent’s economic development and digital transformation.
