Absolutely delighted to present the batch of nominations for the first edition of Games Industry Africa Awards (GIAA). An industry accolade designed to celebrate the many budding creative, technical and commercially driven talents across the continent. In partnership with Africa Games Week, this edition will be a purely digital event with the winners announced between December 8 – 10 2021.

All categories will be decided by the GIA team apart from One to Watch, which will be decided by the public.

Full nominations can be viewed below:

Most impactful Mobile Game

This award aims to recognise a mobile first project that has either through its innovative mechanics, payment method or its financial success got people talking across the length and breath of the continent.

Aurion: Kajuta Gems Fighter – Kiro’o Games (Cameroon)
Tizi Games – Usiku Games (Kenya)
Ruzzle: Make Path Game for Car – Maliyo Games (Nigeria)

Educational initiative of the Year

Core to aiding the growth and development of the industry is a structure in place for the next generation of industry professionals to thrive and spring from. This award recognises the efforts of such initiatives.

AfricanGameDev
Creative Pixel Academy
Game Jam+
SA Game Jam
Prosearium

Event of the Year

This award is an acknowledgment of the fantastic communities forged with a singular focus to bring the creators, developers and industry people together in a spirit of knowledge sharing, support and growth. This event has a singular goal to elevate the African games industry.

FEJA
Africa Games Week
Fak’ugesi Festival
Africacomicade
South Africa Game Jam
Women Game Jam (Zambia)
Digital Lab Africa
Business of Gaming Forum

One to Watch

In recognition of the talents across the continent, this award seeks to recognise those with the promise to make a huge impact either as individuals, a team or with the initiative they are working on.

STASIS 2: BONE TOTEM – The Brotherhood (South Africa)
Terra Nil – Free Lives (South Africa)
The Wagadu Chronicles – Twin Drums (Ghana / Germany)
West Hunt – NewGen (Tunisia)
Dying Byte Survival – Jana Games (Algeria)
Dungeon Crawler – Estelle Makhoba / Kate Howell / Joe Ruotolo (South Africa)
Outliver: Tribulation – Gbrossoft (Nigeria)
Qyn – Studio Starburst (South Africa)
Unannounced project – PAGG (Pan African Gaming Group)
Project Lumpa – Mwaaba Alec Mugala (Zambia)
Amma: Chronicles of Lost Stars – Noohkema Interactive (Cameroon)
Danfo Racer – Maliyo Games (Nigeria)
Unannounced project – Nyamakop (South Africa)
Virago – Sunday Akor (Nigeria)

Public Vote for ONE TO WATCH here.

Industry innovation of the Year

This award recognises technical achievements over the past 12 months designed to elevate the games industry through a combination of technical and business prowess.

Kiroo Rebuntu / KirooWorld – Kiro’o Games (Cameroon)
Tizi Games: Mobile Edutainment Platform – Usiku Games (Kenya)
Crowdfunding model beyond Kickstarter for Stasis 2 – The Brotherhood (South Africa)

Mentor of the Year

This award recognises an organisation, group or individual who excels in a mentorship capacity within the local gaming community. That could be as part of a studio, working in formal education, or through running events or meetups.

Sithe Ncube
Johana Riquier
Eyram Tawia
Samia Chelbi / Mohamed Zoglami
Nick Hall
Houssem Ben Amor
Allan Cudicio

Debut of the Year

The game, initiative or organisation to make the largest impact over the past 12 months will be the recipient of this award.

Aurion: Kajuta Gems Fighter – Kiro’o Games (Cameroon)
Beautiful Desolation – The Brotherhood (South Africa)
USONI – Jiwe (Kenya)
Ruzzle: Make Path Game for Car – Maliyo Games (Nigeria)

2021 GIA Icon

This accolade recognises the person or persons to have contributed positively to the growth and development of the African games industry over the past ten years.

Eyram Tawia
Olivier Madiba
Sithe Ncube
Nick Hall
Douglas Ogeto
Johana Riquier
Sidick Bakayoko
Walid Sultan Midani
Nyamakop
Free Lives
24 Bit Games

Team of the Year

This award recognises the achievements of a collective, group or collaborative entity that bandied together and overcome insurmountable odds to create something truly unique.

Carry1st (South Africa)
Kiro’o Games (Cameroon)
Free Lives (South Africa)
Usiku Games (Kenya)
Maliyo Games (Nigeria)
Nuked Cockroach (Tunisia)
24 Bit Games (South Africa)
Qene Games (Ethiopia)
Paradise Games (Cote D’Ivoire)

Person of the Year

This award recognises an individual with a through a singular vision and drive has achieved significant commercial / critical success, been an unflinching champion or been a catalyst to spur the growth of the African games industry.

Sithe Ncube (Zambia / SA)
Olivier Madiba (Cameroon)
Johana Riquier (UK)
Samia Chebli (Tunisia)
Hugo Obi (Nigeria)
Luke Lamothe (South Africa)
Eyram Tawia (Ghana)

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