According to Carry1st and Newzoo, Africa’s gaming industry reached a revenue of $1.8 billion in 2024, experiencing a 12.4% growth from 2023. The region’s year-over-year growth rate of 2.1% is six times higher than the global average, with mobile gaming taking the largest share.
Mobile gaming dominated Africa’s gaming market, representing 90% of the market share ($1.6 billion). Of the 349 million games played across the continent, 304 million were mobile games, with participation growing by 32 million from the previous year. This rapid mobile gaming growth is supported by increased mobile penetration, affordable smartphones, and improved payment solutions, making gaming more accessible to a broader audience.
The top country for gaming in Africa was Egypt, with an estimated gaming market worth over $368 million in 2024, accounting for 20.4% of the continent’s total revenue. Nigeria and South Africa followed, contributing $300 million and $278 million, respectively. Eritrea and Niger saw the highest increase in gaming revenue, signaling significant industry growth.
Mobile gaming platforms, such as Call of Duty: Mobile, have further boosted the sector, including tournaments like the Carry1st Africa Cup. Nigeria, with over 14.7 million gamers, and Egypt, with 20.2 million, are key players in the African gaming scene, with gamers also engaging in content creation and eSports tournaments. The growing interest in competitive gaming and eSports is expected to continue driving the industry’s expansion.
