The « Global Games Market Report » published last July by Newzoo reveals that Africa and the Middle East have gathered 488 million players against 434 million in 2021. The two regions of the world account for 15% of the market share estimated at 7.1 billion US dollars. Showcasing the sector’s growth, the 6th edition of the Abidjan Festival of Electronics and Video Games (FEJA) will have been an opportunity to look into the future of gaming in Africa.
By Issiaka N’guessan in Abidjan
Sidick Bakayoko and his team at Paradise Game firmly believe in the economic impact of the electronics and video game industry in Côte d’Ivoire and Africa. The Festival of Electronics and Video Game of Abidjan (FEJA) therefore, unfolded, this year, from November 26 to 27 at Cosmos Yopougon, to allow game enthusiasts from France, Madagascar, Togo and Niger to indulge their passion.
It is about « sharing with African gamers the passion of video games in general because we see everywhere in the world competitions that are organized, so why not Africa? » said Charles Atokoli, Manager, Paradise Game Center.
Driver of new job creation
« Africa is always the last. Here, our goal is to allow these young Africans, young Ivorians to be able to express their talent, their passion through video games » which further emphasizes that with sponsors and the strong participation of young people, there is a possible creation of « temporary or permanent jobs, meaning the FEJA is a source of employment and helps reduce unemployment in Côte d’Ivoire. »
« It is this type of competition that will promote the sport »
A passion for video games that led Sidick Bakayoko to create the event, which has become over the years a showcase for gaming in Africa and a meeting platform for players in the sector. The goal is « to be the first in Africa and in Côte d’Ivoire to promote eSports, » says Wilfried Diallo, Manager of Paradise Game. « Video games are fun tools, which bring money, certainly not much but enough to create jobs for young people. He reminded, in passing: « Video game is not only playing, it is also developing children’s awakening, because through them children learn to solve problems that will lead them to cope with the worries of their future life.”
Aurélien Supot arrived from France to take part in this festival of video games and electronics. « I train every day on Formula 1 rally simulators, it’s my field and it’s interesting to come and participate, » he says, though he recognizes that there are « fewer gamers, it’s less developed than other games, there’s less enthusiasm than other activities. In Africa there is no GT circuit, no Formula 1, there is a smaller audience. »
However, he believes « there is no reason why we cannot develop this game because people are passionate about it.” Provided it is allocated greater resources. When there will be competitions that will be organized, » indicating that he himself « sponsored a young Ivorian who participated in the Formula 1 World Championship. Two African countries have qualified out of 123 federations in the world. It is this type of competition that will promote the sport.”
« The gaming industry is expected to register a CAGR of 12% over the forecast period »
According to Mordor Intelligence, a platform dedicated to electronic and video gaming, a new segment, smartphones, will contribute to the growth of video games. « Carry1st, a game development startup, announced that it has raised a $2.5 million investment led by CRE Venture Capital to support and invest in game publishing across Africa, » the Mordor Intelligence report said. « The gaming industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12% during the forecast period (2021 – 2026). The Covid-19 pandemic had a positive effect on the African Gaming Market. The pandemic led to mandated stay-at-home orders, which resulted in the customers spending more time and money on various games and gaming consoles, which led to the growth of the commercial segment of the gaming market.”
Smartphone gaming accounts for 24% in Africa.
A comparative study conducted by the National Center biotechnology information on mobile gaming worldwide stated that smartphone gaming accounts for 24% in Africa.
« In Côte d’Ivoire, we do not perceive the socio-economic potential of the video game industry, which is still seen as a child’s game, but the video game allows people to make a living from it, not necessarily in Africa, » notes the reigning eFootball 2022 champion, Eric Kasson of the LMJ team (Les Maîtres du Jeu).
However, Charles Atokoli is optimistic about the future of the video game industry in Africa. « Many foreign sponsors are interested in the sector, they come to us to enhance African gaming on a global scale, thus offering more opportunities to young Africans to be able to assert themselves on a global scale and represent Africa.”
This view is shared by Sidoine Assandé, another video game enthusiast. « Since I was a little kid, I’ve been passionate about motorsports and rallying. I have already been a champion of the FR Rallye star program which consisted in starting on simulators and finishing on star cross. I have already won this championship once in Côte d’Ivoire ». For the latter, « this sector has a future because during the COVID-19 health crisis, there were world champions who drove on simulators, and given the growing number of young enthusiasts, it can only have a bright future, in the very near future.”
In the meantime, Abidjan will be hosting the 5th edition of the Orange eSport Experience on
January 28 and 29. Organized by the telecom operator, one of the main sponsors of the
sector in Africa, the event is intended as a platform for the emergence of eSport champions
from African and Middle Eastern countries.
Each year, tournaments are held in the countries at different levels (local, regional, national)
to select the best. These local winners are then designated to represent their country at the
Orange eSport Experience Grand Final which takes place every year in an Orange country of
the Africa and Middle East zone or online like the 2021 edition.
