As Africa’s gaming industry sees continuous growth, Nigeria happens to be one of the leading nations in terms of gaming activities, revenues, and the number of people playing games.
This is as a result of the country’s massive youthful population as well as increased access to smartphones and more internet adoption.
According to a Renaissance Capital report, at the end of year 2021, 23 percent of Nigeria’s population was involved in playing games, while the industry recorded $185 million in the same year.
Experts say the growth recorded in the accessibility of smartphones in Nigeria is a reason for the popularity of smartphone gaming. Mobile games including the King of Avalon, PUBG, Call of Duty, and Clash of Kings, while football (FIFA) is the most played soccer game on PlayStation (PS) console, and are becoming more popular among Nigerians.
Other popular games on the PS console include God of War, Grand Theft Auto (GTA), Mortal Kombat, Assassin Creed, Need for Speed, among others.
“Two years ago, Candy Crush used to be the most played game but now that mobile phones, as well as the internet, are more accessible to the younger generation, Call of Duty, PUBG mobile have become the two most-played games in Nigeria,” Odysseus Vrakas, a game expert, told BusinessDay.
The trends seen in Nigeria’s gaming industry are another reason for traction. While some games need a higher-end device to make them function, majority do not require an advanced technology-enabled phone.
According to Vrakas, a majority of online games are widely compatible with 90 percent of mobile devices.
Another important trend is the amount of data online games consume. “These games consume very little data. As everyone is conscious of their data, no one wants to play a game that will burn all their data,” Vrakas said.
There has been a forecast of how the gaming industry will yield more revenue as the year unfolds. In an exclusive interview with the CEOs of Nigeria’s largest mobile operator, MTN, Ralph Mupita explained how much revenue they see in the digital space, including in the gaming industry.
“Digital for us is a very interesting revenue stream. You see dynamics coming through music, gaming and video, gaming is coming on quite interesting across some of our markets and has become a big driver for revenue for some of the tables,” Mupita said.
While the industry will see more revenues, an upcoming trend known as ‘play to earn’ has been attributed to being a major drive. This trend will also enable game players to benefit monetarily as they will earn money while they play.
“There are games like the Metaverse Guild that introduce play to earn games. These games enable you to earn coins, which can translate to real-world money because it is based on cryptocurrency,” Vrakas said.
According to public sources, gaming content providers like Gameloft, Intralot, and Sirplay have partnered local gaming companies to participate in the growing success of the gaming industry by providing technology services and support.
To enjoy more gaming services and opportunities in Nigeria, experts say the government should put the right policies and regulations in place, including the introduction of a special data access package for gamers.
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“Most telecom companies have streaming plans for YouTube, and that has made access easier and helps to not burn all your data on videos. As such, there should also be gaming plans to help reduce the cost of data. For example, Call of Duty is about two Gigabits (GB) in size and the updates are usually large in size. So, as much as people play it, the data consumption might sometimes discourage others,” Vrakas said.
As gaming continues to thrive among the youths and other interested parties, one-way operators can ensure addiction is managed by enforcing age limits. Others include introducing a unified body that organises competition and promotes game streaming as well as competitions. Gaming should be moved from just a hobby to a career opportunity for both developers and gamers, experts say.
