Five takeaways from Lagos Games Week 2025: Strong networking, weak panels, and 'one hit' debate returns

Lagos Games Week 2025 has come to a close after two days of talks, B2B networking, and exhibitions for developers, publishers, and service providers. 

The event also featured panel sessions and expert presentations from Hugo Obi, Soukayna Ennaji, Temi Afolabi, Teddy Kossoko, Mickael Newton, Chris Diafouka and convener Bukola Akingbade, whose team brought the show to life.

So, after two days of networking, panel sessions, and game showcases, what did we learn? Below are my key takeaways from Lagos Games Week 2025. 

1- Panels fell short

Despite a promising speaker lineup, most of the panel sessions didn’t quite hit the mark, at least for me. As the day went on, some attendees decided they'd probably get better insights with the actual game developers at the exhibition area.

That said, however, there were a few grounded takes from the panel sessions focused on what Africa needs to truly grow its gaming ecosystem. From structural gaps and the absence of a co-development culture to the lack of specialised expertise, even if the delivery didn’t always land. 

One developer I spoke to even told me that there’s no real ecosystem in Africa yet. Another one I sat close to said some of the panels felt like a “repeat of buzzwords” they'd heard many times before. 

2- Strong showing for games and networking

I wasn’t at the 2024 edition of Lagos Games Week, but this year’s event felt big, from the audience turnout to the number of games on display. While there were no big announcements, there were still plenty of talking points about the state of the African games industry.

Networking was a highlight, and although I was mostly moving between sessions and catching up with folks, every free moment seemed to turn into a conversation - someone introducing themselves, showing a prototype, or just exchanging thoughts. The networking vibe was strong.

There was a healthy mix of games built for PC and mobile, with many still rough around the edges, but a handful showed real promise, like Beyond Service, Go North, and The InBetween.

Then again, there were some studios and developers I’d hoped to see either exhibiting or on stage, but they were absent. Their absence was noticeable and felt like a missed opportunity to spotlight regional talent, especially games like the highly anticipated TossDown, which wasn’t showcased.

3- A divided ecosystem?

A keynote message from the event convener and Kucheza Gaming founder, Bukola Akingbade, was that studios grow better when they collaborate, not compete. That’s true in theory, but on the ground, the games ecosystem in Africa still feels fragmented.

Some developers I spoke with said there's a divide between smaller, emerging studios and bigger, more established ones that aren't always open to sharing resources and other benefits. 

In my Gamathon 2024 takeaways I noted how much the continent was teeming with young makers, mostly because developers, big or small, were allowed time to present their game to the audience on the main event day, but it wasn’t quite the same at this event as the pitch session meant to spotlight up-and-coming talent to a wider audience was an invite-only gathering.

All the same, talent shortage was a recurring theme across the panels and hallway conversations. New talent is indeed emerging, but so are the questions around it. Maliyo Games claims to have trained over 5,000 people through its GameUp Africa program, but some developers I spoke to were sceptical. 

A few suggested that the figure may reflect the number of applicants, not active trainees, and questioned what post-training support or outcomes look like, where they are now, and how many amongst those 5,000 have gone on to build or contribute to real projects.

4- The continued search for one hit game

This idea that all it takes is one breakout hit to put African game development on the global map keeps coming up. Maliyo Games founder Hugo Obi echoed this sentiment in his opening keynote.

“The biggest challenge for us is getting one renowned, world-recognised game, it's a race,” he said. “To date we don't have a game where everyone can say this was made by Africa or made by an African team. We've had a few tries, but we don't have one that is universal.” 

It's a tempting idea, especially when you think of how The Witcher helped elevate Poland and CD Projekt Red. But many developers I spoke to afterwards said that the reality is more complex.

One founder I chatted with used other mediums as an example by asking whether one hit song can save the Nigerian music industry, or if one blockbuster movie can save Nollywood. They concluded that while a single successful game could attract attention and some funding, building a sustainable industry requires more than just one hit.

And should this game fail to meet expectations, investors may also perceive the entire industry as a high-risk venture, even though smaller, less visible projects are thriving.

5- A need to stand out 

Regions that thrive in game development often have a speciality - a technical or creative strength they’re known for, according to Virtuous business development manager Soukayna Ennaji, who acknowledged that Africans or Nigerians don't have to be good at everything, but they need to excel at something.

For example, she pointed out that the Czech Republic is known for high-level rendering engineers, while the Philippines has a reputation for polished 3D Art. So what’s Nigeria’s thing? What makes the country stand out in the global gaming space?

Right now, perhaps Nigeria is still figuring that out and has yet to have a clear, industry-wide niche like some other countries.

However, some African studios like 24 Bit Games, one of South Africa’s biggest game companies, are already carving out their space. Since its Annapurna acquisition in 2023, 24 Bit Games has contributed to acclaimed titles like Stray and built a reputation in porting and technical support. 

So while Nigeria and some other African countries still need to define their edge, countries like South Africa show that the process is already underway.

Lagos Games Week will return in 2026.