The Africa Esports Championship game show competition is back for the second year in a row, this time online in light of COVID-19. However, is Africa ready for a boom in the esports market? 

The esports industry has experienced a boom as customers look for alternatives during the pandemic, not only in Africa, but all over the globe. This event, taking place in November 2020, is a highlight for young people all around Africa. 

This year the International Esports Federation saw new membership expansions within Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Kuwait, Morocco, Congo and Malta; in line with the growing market trends. Currently, the federation has reached 88 members.  

The surge in esports in Africa goes hand in hand with the spike in emerging technologies, which paved by young and tech savvy users. 

Inside Africa’s Esports Championship 

Africa’s Premier esports League, Aec and Africa’s award-winning video game publishing company Ludiqueworks have partnered up to make the Africa Esports Championship possible. 

The aim of the event is to improve friendship amongst African countries, giving youths in Africa opportunities to develop their talents and also as a medium to showcase their talents through esports and video games. 

The co-founder of Ludiqueworks, Douglas Ogeto, is very pragmatic about the future of African gaming developers. Africa has amazing video game developers and talent building the next generation video games with globally appealing content he says.  
 
African video games development studios are part of the growing African industry that was valued at $570 million in 2018. In 2014, the industry was worth $105 million. Which amounts to more than 500% growth in four years.  

Is it too early for Africa to embrace esports? 

 In a panel during the 2020 SBC Digital Summit Africa, Managing Director of Paradise Games, Sidick Bakayoko noted: 

For esports betting to explode in Africa you have to have the population and I think we have the numbers, and you have a population that’s growing, and you have a middle-class population that’s growing…. What you can see here is just that it’s going to take a little bit more time.

He continues: 

There are going to be a lot of changes in the way people can view video games and the way they can view regular entertainment. I think it’s going to have a positive impact on our industry, which is video gaming, as a whole. I think betting is going to benefit from the new trends. 

Want to know more about African markets? Watch our interview with industry lawyers, Babatunde Ibidapo-Obe of Obe & Co and Hans Wolf Kessler of Kessler Stockhausen who discuss the emerging African market and the risks and rewards associated. 

About SiGMA’s revamped website:

SiGMA Group is excited to announce the launch of its newly revamped website. The website is currently available in 5 languages, English, Russian, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Spanish with plans to add another 5 languages over the coming months – namely French, Thai, Korean, Japanese, and Hindi.