Five takeaways from Gamathon 24: Africa’s youthful game makers shine, big tech takes notice, but monetisation struggles persist

Gamathon 24 has come to an end, and while the official numbers aren’t in yet, it’s looking to be the largest event Africacomicade has hosted since its inception in 2019.

The six-day convention was packed with panel sessions, exciting video game showcases, and expert presentations from Johana Riquier, Mélissandre Monatus, Edu Shola, Mxolisi Xaba and many others.

At the heart of this success was Africacomicade co-founder Oscar Micheal Esio and his dedicated team, whose tireless work brought the event to life.

So after a week of networking, panel sessions, and game showcases, what did we learn? Below are my key takeaways from Gamathon 24:

1) Africa is teeming with young game-makers 

The event featured an impressive array of games from developers across multiple African countries, and one common theme stood out – the youthfulness of the creators. 

Despite often operating without the backing of well-funded studios, it’s impressive to see so many young developers across Africa crafting engaging games for mobile, PC, and console platforms.

During my six-day stay in Lagos, Nigeria, I visited three notable game studios – Maliyo Games, Kucheza Games, and Spoof Animations – and witnessed firsthand the vibrant, youthful energy driving these game studios.

As developers took to the stage to showcase their games, it was obvious how their passion and creativity shined through in each project. While these young developers enjoy creating games they love, there’s a gap when it comes to industry and market knowledge. 

Without a deeper understanding of how to scale their projects, the ability to pitch the potential of a game’s financial success to investors, and connect with global audiences, much of their work risks falling short of its potential. 

2) The business side is missing 

While the talent and creativity are evident, the business infrastructure necessary for sustainable growth remains underdeveloped. 

The African games industry is still struggling with challenges like effective monetisation strategies, tailored publishing channels, and access to investment or funding. 

Creative projects are flourishing, but until there is a solid business foundation, long-term success will be elusive. Many of the continent’s young game developers also struggle to balance creative freedom with commercial viability.

3) Most people still don’t pay for games

A key panel discussion focused on “the business opportunities in the creative industry” with Riquier and Xaba raised the question of why many Africans don’t pay for video games as they do with other forms of entertainment. 

Despite improvements in payment methods, thanks to platforms like Carry1st and Gara Store, monetisation remains “Africa’s biggest problem” as many creatives are still struggling to monetise their products. 

I recently spoke with Masseka Games founder Teddy Kossoko who stated that: “Most Africans don’t like to pay for entertainment, you have to work on their psychology” and that “Africans on mobile do not have the purchasing culture.” 

And while there are companies working on VR and XR products, Kossoko said: “VR in Africa is bullshit. Just having the devices costs an arm and a leg. An African who is already thinking about paying $0.15, do you think they will pay for a $300 headset or an Apple Vision Pro that costs $3,000? I don’t think so.”

4) “The future of Africa is not entertainment. It’s Edtech”

One unexpected theme from the event was the idea that Africa’s future may not lie in entertainment but in educational technology (EdTech). 

Gamathon 24 featured discussions about the gamification of education, exploring how interactive storytelling and Africa’s rich cultural heritage can be leveraged for educational purposes, potentially opening new avenues for the games industry.

And that’s not all. There’s an increase in the creation of games that incorporate African folklore, history, or contemporary issues, as these tend to attract more attention because they reflect the players’ lived experiences and cultural contexts. 

5) Big players like Google are taking notice

Exciting developments are on the horizon as Google and other major firms are beginning to back African game developers. 

Google is now accepting applications for a new tool that helps PC game developers port their games to mobile, allowing African developers to broaden their reach and expand into new platforms. 

This growing support from global tech giants signals a promising future for games in Africa, especially as select developers will also receive funding from Google to support their projects.

“This is Africa, everything is a challenge”

PAGG chairman Jay Shapiro noted in an interview that everything is a challenge in the continent, and “if it were easy everyone would be doing it,” he said. “Despite some studios like Leti Arts pushing for ten years somehow, now we are at Day One.”

Kossoko also acknowledges that: “Africa is indeed the future, but there is still much to do. This requires permanent support and will take another five to ten years.” 

Gamathon 24 was a unique showcase of the talent and creativity bubbling within Africa’s video games scene, but it also highlighted the business and monetisation challenges that continue to hamper its growth. 

With increasing interest from global players like Google, the African games industry has the potential to evolve into a sustainable ecosystem. 

However, for this transformation to happen, the focus must shift toward establishing stronger business foundations, effective monetisation, and building market knowledge. 

Gamathon 25 is set to take place in September 2025.