LGW: Greater Investment, Collaboration Needed to Unlock Nigeria’s Games Economy

With Nigeria possessing the creative talent to become one of the world’s leading game development markets, the question is no longer whether Nigerian developers can create globally competitive games. Rather, it is whether the ecosystem can build the businesses, partnerships, and investment needed to transform that talent into a sustainable creative economy.

This was the central message of Lagos Games Week (LGW) 2026, held from June 18 to 19, which brought together developers, educators, investors, technology companies, policymakers, and international partners to explore how Nigeria can position itself as a serious player in the global video games industry.

Supported by its principal partner, the French Embassy in Nigeria, the annual event continues to shape the future of one of the world’s fastest-growing creative industries. Its mission is clear: to create pathways for Nigerian talent to learn, earn, and compete in the global marketplace.

“Video games represent one of the largest entertainment industries in the world, yet Africa remains significantly underrepresented,” said Bukola Akingbade, Convener of Lagos Games Week.

“Our opportunity lies in exploring different pathways to build sustainable businesses that create games, generate intellectual property, create high-value jobs, and export African creativity to the world.”

This year’s programme reflected that ambition. Developer sessions, industry roundtables, and networking events connected Nigerian studios with international delegates, while discussions focused on the key building blocks of a sustainable industry—from talent development and commercialisation to marketing, monetisation, publishing, esports, and community building.

Representing the French Embassy in Nigeria, Christophe Pecot, Audiovisual Attaché, reaffirmed the Embassy’s commitment to supporting creative and technological collaboration between France and Nigeria, including initiatives that create international opportunities for Nigerian developers.

One of the conference’s strongest themes was that technical talent alone will not build a globally competitive industry.

As Hugo Obi, Founder of Maliyo Games, put it: “The future is for collaborators, the future is for teams, the future is for communities.”

That message was reinforced throughout the conference by sessions led by industry organisations, including Next Gen Summit, Woof Studios, She Got Game, Game Evo, and Kon10dr, which explored careers, inclusion, leadership, and the future of esports in Nigeria.

Lagos Games Week also continued its commitment to discovering and accelerating emerging studios through its annual Pitch Stage competition. This year’s prize, sponsored by the French Embassy in Nigeria, is an all-expenses-paid trip to Gamescom in Germany, giving the winning studio direct access to publishers, investors, and international partners.

The impact of initiatives such as the Pitch Stage is already becoming evident. Last year’s co-winning studio, Gazuntype, is set to release Go North on Xbox later this month, marking an important milestone that demonstrates Nigerian studios are increasingly moving from promising concepts to commercially published games on global platforms.

For Lagos Games Week, these milestones signal a broader transformation. The future of Nigeria’s video games industry will not be defined solely by the number of talented developers it produces, but by the number of sustainable companies it builds, successful games it launches, and quality jobs it creates.

As one of the world’s largest entertainment sectors continues to expand, Nigeria has a unique opportunity to define its place within the global games industry. Lagos Games Week exists to help chart that path.

Lagos Games Week is an annual trade fair dedicated to the video games industry. Held in Lagos, Nigeria, it brings together video game enthusiasts, industry leaders, developers, investors, and innovators from around the world for a celebration of creativity, innovation, and collaboration in gaming.