“We aim to merge games with Africa’s finest tunes and rhythms”

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The Dubai Game Expo Summit powered by Pocket Gamer Connects returns on May 7th to 8th 2025, offering a chance to gain insights into the world’s fastest-growing games market, MENA.

In an exclusive interview with Weza Interactive Entertainment CEO and co-founder Odongo George Ahere, we discuss the company’s mobile rhythm game Riziki, the Mzito universe, tapping into the African market and prioritising resources.

PocketGamer.biz: Could you tell us a bit about Weza Interactive and what you’re up to right now?

Odongo George Ahere: Weza Interactive Entertainment is a Kenya-based game development studio that’s passionate about creating interactive media that tells African stories. We believe in the potential of Africa, and it is our mission to activate this potential by creating authentic African experiences that empower, educate, and entertain.

Currently, we’re focused on Riziki, a rhythm game that showcases the diversity and uniqueness of African music and dance culture. Through Riziki, we aim to merge games with Africa’s finest tunes and rhythms, giving gamers, and music fans an avenue to enjoy their favourite African tracks in the most interactive and immersive way possible. 

In addition to game development, we offer coaching and mentorship programs, consulting services, and tailored game development solutions to support emerging creators and organisations seeking to leverage gamification.

How many staff do you currently employ, and what are you doing to foster collaboration and recruit local talent?

Our team is lean and currently consists of six talented individuals, and we’re planning to grow this year to support our expanding projects. This core team is supported by a network of local collaborators, freelancers, and consultants.

One of our key initiatives is our partnership with ADMI (Africa Digital Media Institute), where we engage with students and alumni through workshops, mentorship programs, and game development projects. This partnership allows us to nurture upcoming talent by providing hands-on experience and opportunities to work on real-world projects like Riziki.

The Mzito Universe seems central to your company’s storytelling. Can you share more on what that’s about?

The Mzito Universe is a world inspired by the rich cultural, historical, and mythological values of Africa. At its heart are the Ancient African Spirits, guardians of the continent’s heritage. These spirits symbolise the pillars of African culture and are the guiding force behind the Mzito – heroes chosen to embark on epic journeys to save and unite Africa.

Through their quests, the Mzito tackle challenges that mirror real-life societal issues, offering players not just a game but an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate African resilience, diversity, and potential.

Every game we develop within this universe – from Mzito to Riziki – carries these values at its core. The Mzito Universe isn’t just a storytelling framework; it’s a vision of Africa’s potential. It invites players to embrace their role as modern-day heroes, surpassing the wildest dreams of their ancestors while celebrating the traditions, art, and beliefs that unite us as Africans.

Through this universe, we aim to inspire, educate, and empower players, whether they’re embarking on a mythological quest in Mzito or dancing to the rhythms of Riziki. It’s about creating a shared cultural experience that resonates deeply, sparks pride, and unites people through the power of storytelling.

You’ve developed games for PC, mobile, and web platforms. How do you decide which platform to target for a new game?

At Weza, selecting the right platform for a game begins with understanding the game’s mechanics, audience preferences, and business model. We ask ourselves key questions: What devices does our target audience use the most? How can the game’s core experience be best delivered? And which monetisation strategy aligns with the platform’s strengths?

For example, mobile gaming dominates in Africa, with its accessibility, affordability, and rapidly growing smartphone user base. Games like Riziki are designed for mobile because rhythm-based gameplay thrives in casual, on-the-go environments.

Also, the freemium business model – offering free downloads with optional in-app purchases and ads – is well-suited for mobile users in Africa, where upfront costs can be a barrier to entry.

Our platform choices are always audience-driven. By understanding our players’ habits, needs, and preferences, we ensure that our games not only meet them where they are but also provide them with the best possible experience.

This approach has been key to the success of our titles and will continue to guide how we bring African stories to life through games.

Talk to us about the French Tech Ticket programme. How did it shape the direction of your company and your games?

The French Tech Ticket programme was a transformative experience for Weza. It provided us with mentorship, funding, and access to a global network of entrepreneurs, which allowed us to refine our business strategies and explore international markets for our games. Through this programme, we gained valuable insights into what it takes to succeed in the highly competitive video games industry.

One of the programme’s most significant contributions was the exposure it gave us. Being part of an internationally recognised initiative put Weza on the map, opening doors to partnerships and collaborations we might not have otherwise accessed.

The programme also immersed us in the business side of video games. We learned how to navigate funding landscapes, pitch our ideas to investors, and strategise for long-term sustainability. These lessons became the foundation for how we approach projects like Riziki – not just as creative endeavours but as scalable businesses with global potential.

Africa has a vast number of mobile users. What do you think is the key to tapping into this audience? And why do you think some still overlook the market despite its growth potential?

Tapping into Africa’s mobile gaming audience requires a deep understanding of the complex realities of being an African gamer. Financial stresses are common, and many gamers face limited ability to pay for games upfront.

On top of that, African gamers are exposed to triple-A titles from Western markets that raise the bar for what is considered “good” gaming, setting high expectations for quality in terms of graphics, gameplay, and overall experience.

Africa is a highly diverse continent, with a wide array of cultures, languages, and gaming trends, meaning that game developers must create content that appeals to various tastes and preferences across the region. The challenge is not just in creating culturally relevant games, but in addressing the financial constraints and diverse expectations that exist.

A major factor that has led many to overlook Africa’s gaming potential is the difficulty of monetisation. While the continent has a growing user base, inconsistent purchasing power and a lack of unified payment systems make it challenging to implement traditional monetisation models.

The freemium model has proven more effective, as many African gamers are accustomed to accessing content for free and purchasing optional add-ons or in-game items. This business model allows developers to reach a wider audience without financial barriers while still generating revenue through in-app purchases and ad-driven content.

However, ad revenue, another key source of income for mobile games, remains an issue in Africa. Many advertisers still focus primarily on Western markets, where higher CPM rates prevail. 

As a result, African impressions often receive lower payouts, even though mobile ad reach is growing rapidly on the continent. This disparity means that, while ad revenue is crucial for monetisation in Africa, it’s harder for developers to fully capitalise on the potential of the market.

At Weza, we are actively addressing these challenges by integrating mobile money solutions for in-app purchases at favourable price points that suit the local market. For advertising, we work directly with local advertising agencies who understand the value of African audiences and are more willing to invest in targeting them appropriately.

By understanding the realities of African gamers – such as financial limitations, exposure to high-quality international content, and regional diversity – developers can create games and business models that both resonate with players and drive sustainable growth in this rapidly expanding market.

In terms of funding and support for gaming studios in Africa, what has been your experience navigating the funding landscape? And how do you think the African games market could attract more investment?

Navigating the funding landscape for African game studios has been a challenging yet insightful journey. The rough economic state post-COVID, coupled with global shifts like the war in Ukraine, has led to a slowdown in investor appetite.

These external factors have made it more difficult to secure funding, especially for early-stage studios like ours. As a result, we’ve had to shift our focus from relying on external investment to exploring how we can generate revenue in the short-term and sustain our growth without immediate outside capital.

This change in approach has driven us to refine our business model, focusing on monetisation strategies rather than simply seeking funds. We’ve spent considerable time pitching and refining our approach, which has been invaluable in helping us understand the key performance indicators (KPIs) that will lead to success. That’s not just in terms of developing great games, but also in building a solid business foundation and attracting future funding.

Understanding these KPIs has empowered us to focus on revenue generation through models like freemium and in-app purchases, while also focusing on ad revenue, partnerships, and expanding our IPs as we are focused on turning these KPIs into measurable results. For us, attracting investors will depend on demonstrating our ability to create value and effectively monetise our products.

The key to attracting more investment into the African gaming market is to show that we can not only create high-quality, culturally relevant games, but also have sustainable revenue models that prove the market’s growth potential.

Investors want to see concrete results, and we are committed to building a track record of success that will make the African games market an attractive investment destination.

As the market matures and more studios demonstrate successful monetisation and growth, we believe there will be a larger shift toward more investment in African gaming, and we’re excited to be part of that process. 

What are your plans for the year? Are there any specific initiatives or projects on the horizon that we should look forward to?

The year is poised to be an exciting and transformative one for us. We are fully committed to expanding Riziki into a dynamic brand that brings African music and games together in innovative ways.

Our plans for this year include the official launch of Riziki, which will feature a rich and diverse music library that represents the full spectrum of African sounds – from Afrobeat and Amapiano to traditional folk music.

This expansion will allow players to explore different genres and rhythms while offering them an immersive experience that blends the magic of music with rhythm-based gameplay. We are also focused on enhancing the game’s community features, enabling players to connect, share, and compete in creative ways.

We are also looking to bring Riziki to other platforms toward the end of 2025, starting with PC, and expanding to consoles and virtual reality. Our vision includes evolving Riziki into an experience where players can physically engage with the game, allowing them to perform African dance moves and immerse themselves fully.

Beyond Riziki, we’re expanding into other key areas. One is edutainment through gamified learning experiences. This initiative is part of our larger vision to use gamification to address educational gaps and contribute to the EdTech space in Africa.

We’re also planning to host more community-driven events and workshops, collaborating with local institutions like ADMI to nurture young talent and ensure that Africa’s gaming industry continues to grow and thrive.

Furthermore, we will continue to strengthen our consulting and mentorship offerings to assist other African game developers in navigating the complexities of the industry, providing them with the tools and insights to succeed.

As we look toward the future, we’re excited to push the boundaries of what’s possible in African gaming and to keep putting Africa’s creativity on the global stage.