Lagos Games Week 2026 concluded with a clear message for Nigeria’s growing games ecosystem: creative talent alone will not be enough to establish the country as a major force in the global video game industry. Instead, long-term growth will depend on building sustainable businesses, attracting investment and strengthening collaboration across the ecosystem.

Held in Lagos on 18–19 June, 2026, the annual event brought together game developers, educators, investors, policymakers, technology companies and international partners to discuss how Nigeria can expand its position within one of the world’s fastest-growing creative industries. Supported by the French Embassy in Nigeria, the conference focused on the commercial foundations required to transform local talent into globally competitive studios and intellectual property.

Speaking during the event, Lagos Games Week Convener Bukola Akingbade said the opportunity for Nigeria extends beyond creating games. Instead, the industry must focus on building sustainable companies capable of generating intellectual property, creating skilled employment and exporting African creativity to international audiences.

The programme reflected these ambitions through a series of developer sessions, industry roundtables and networking opportunities that connected Nigerian studios with international delegates. Discussions covered subjects including talent development, commercialisation, publishing, marketing, monetisation, esports and community building, highlighting the increasingly broad range of expertise required to grow successful game businesses.

Lagos Game Week by Kucheza

International collaboration remained a recurring theme throughout the conference. Christophe Pecot, Audiovisual Attaché at the French Embassy in Nigeria, reaffirmed the Embassy’s commitment to supporting creative and technological partnerships between France and Nigeria while creating additional opportunities for Nigerian developers to engage with international markets.

Several speakers also stressed that technical ability alone cannot sustain an industry without stronger networks and partnerships. Maliyo Games founder Hugo Obi summarised this perspective by stating that “the future is for collaborators, the future is for teams, the future is for communities.” Sessions delivered by organisations including Next Gen Summit, Woof Studios, She Got Game, Game Evo and Kon10dr further explored leadership, inclusion, career development and the future of esports in Nigeria.

Supporting emerging studios also remained central to this year’s programme through the annual Pitch Stage competition. The 2026 winners received an all-expenses-paid trip to Gamescom in Germany, sponsored by the French Embassy in Nigeria, providing direct access to publishers, investors and potential international partners.

The organisers also highlighted tangible outcomes from previous editions of the event. Gazuntype, one of last year’s co-winning studios, is set to release Go North on Xbox, illustrating how initiatives such as the Pitch Stage can help independent Nigerian developers progress from early-stage concepts to commercially published titles on global platforms.