Africa’s gaming market led by SA, Nigeria and Kenya with more than $600m revenue
Mobile gaming, esports and digital adoption drive rapid growth as PwC reports strong revenue and projected CAGR through 2029.
South Africa.- Africa’s gaming industry is surging, with South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya generating more than $600m in 2024, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ (PwC) Africa Entertainment and Media Outlook 2025-2029 report.
PwC, a global professional services firm providing audit, consulting and advisory insights across industries, reported that gaming and esports are driving much of Africa’s entertainment revenue growth.
PWC said, according to Broadcast Media Africa: “South Africa generated $296m in gaming revenue in 2024, with a projected CAGR of 4.6 per cent through 2029. Nigeria earned $176m, boasting the highest growth rate among the three at 7.4 per cent CAGR, while Kenya contributed $153m, growing at 6.9 per cent.” This highlights the rapid expansion of mobile gaming and esports across the continent.
The report adds that this surge is fuelled by “rising smartphone adoption, improved internet connectivity and digital payment solutions”, making mobile and online games more accessible. Esports tournaments are flourishing in South Africa, Nigeria’s mobile gaming sector is attracting significant global investment and Kenya’s influencer-driven, mobile-first gaming platforms are gaining strong traction among younger audiences.
Africa’s digital entertainment tops $1bn
While gaming drives the growth of Africa’s digital entertainment sector, combined revenues across gaming, live music and OTT (over-the-top streaming) surpassed $1bn in 2024. PwC forecasts that by 2029, the three countries will collectively add nearly two million new OTT subscriptions, with South Africa expected to retain over 75 per cent of the regional market share, highlighting the broader digital ecosystem that is supporting both gaming and streaming audiences across the continent.
These figures highlight a continent in the midst of a digital entertainment revolution, where mobile innovation, esports and gaming culture are driving Africa’s creative and tech economy forward.
