Africa Gaming Market Size

Africa Gaming Market Analysis

The Africa Gaming Market size is estimated at USD 2.14 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 3.72 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 11.62% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

The rise of mobile gaming in Africa is aided by the rising internet connectivity, increasing adoption of smartphones, and the advent of high bandwidth network connectivity, such as 5G, which have further increased the demand of the gaming market across the region.

• Africa is regarded as one of the significant regions globally where the young population is rising. By 2050, Africa's young people, i.e., those aged between 0 and 24 years in certain countries of the region, will witness an increase of around 50%, according to the United Nations. Africa is anticipated to have the most significant number of young people in the coming decade. Hence, Africa's youth is highly crucial to the continent's future when it comes to gaming.
• The growing mobile penetration in the African region had accelerated since 2019 when during the year, about 272 million Sub-Saharan Africans started using mobile, according to GSMA. Moreover, this number is expected to increase to 475 million by 2025, amongst which more than a quarter of these connections will be on a 4G network. Meanwhile, in North Africa, 290 million people own cell phones. This high usage of mobile phones with 5G networks is expected to drive the market significantly.
• Moreover, Nigeria's gaming industry has expanded drastically, benefiting from the large and youthful population, improving the internet penetration rate, and increasing access to internet-enabled devices. The proliferation of connected devices in Nigeria has also led to extensive adoption of the technology, and people from all demographics enjoy digital gaming in its numerous forms. Mobile gaming is prevalent in Nigeria since smartphones and tablets are widely available and affordable.
• However, aspects like the rise in issues like piracy, laws, and regulations, and various concerns relating to fraud during gaming transactions might be a factor that can impede the overall growth of the market.
• The COVID-19 pandemic boosted the market in the region, especially in terms of online gaming among all age groups, implying that gaming is a central element in 21st-century leisure and entertainment. The major gaming vendors witnessed strong growth in downloads of multiple mobile games, primarily during COVID-19. Moreover, with the COVID-19 outbreak, cloud gaming picked up its pace as one of the best options to stay at home entertainment. The market witnessed a significant uptick in downloads of various applications, the time spent, and engagement in online games.