As global attention turns to emerging markets for the next wave of growth in creative and digital industries, Nigeria is positioning itself at the heart of Africa’s video games ambitions. Lagos Games Week returns for its second edition from 19 – 21 June 2025 under the headline theme: “African Talent, Global Markets – Play Without Borders”, signalling the continent’s intent to compete more aggressively in the $184bn global video games market. 

At the core of its ambition is a bold goal, to catalyse the emergence of African studios and adjacent businesses capable of generating $100 million in annual revenue within the next five years, driven by local market creation, cross-border trade, global publishing deals and long-term talent development.

Structured around a pragmatic, industry-first agenda, this year’s programming moves to spotlight market access, outsourcing, IP ownership, and export readiness. Tracks include: The Craft (making games), Origin Story (how we made it), Culture Shapers, Investment & Financing, Trade & Business Development, Games for Good, and Emerging Technologies in Games, with a focus on AI and immersive media.

The event, backed by the French Embassy in Nigeria, also features participation from leading global organisations such as Ubisoft, Ustwo games, Digital Schoolhouse together with Nintendo, and Minecraft Global Partner, Endorah to name a few— a sign of rising international interest in the African market.

“Africa has original creative voices,” said Christophe PECOT, regional audiovisual attaché, Embassy of France in Nigeria, “Video games can become a thriving cultural export and economic lever. Our partnership with Lagos Games Week reflects our commitment to building shared creative prosperity.”

Africa’s video games ecosystem has evolved rapidly over the past decade, supported by improved internet access, affordable smartphones, and a burgeoning youth population, yet while consumer demand has soared, industry infrastructure has lagged behind. Lagos Games Week aims to advocate to fill that gap.

“To play in a global marketplace, we have to be Game Ready as an industry,” said Bukola Akingbade, founder of Kucheza Gaming and convener of Lagos Games Week. “Being game ready requires skill, capacity, infrastructure and investment.”

One of the standout players and advisors at Lagos Games Week is Maliyo Games, a Lagos-based studio with a growing catalogue of mobile games rooted in African experiences. Its founder, Hugo Obi, sees Lagos Games Week as an inflection point for the industry.

“For too long, African game developers have operated on the periphery of global gaming,” Obi said. “This is changing. What we need now are scalable platforms, long-term investment and trade-focused dialogues like the one Lagos Games Week is fostering.”

In many ways, this reflects a broader strategic shift happening across African creative sectors, from music to film to fashion towards owning IP, scaling regionally, and monetising globally. For games, the implications are far more commercial: the chance to develop a new pillar of the continent’s digital economy.  Both as producers and consumer markets for global partners. 

If successful, Lagos Games Week’s long-term legacy may not be an annual event, but the creation of a pipeline of globally competitive African studios, capable of contributing to both local employment and global culture with Lagos as their launchpad.