Esports booms across Africa as youth push market expansion
South Africa leads the way with an esports market worth $29m (€26.7m) this year, almost double the $14.3m (€13.2m) recorded in 2020.
South Africa.- The African gaming industry holds significant potential, driven by a young population where more than 60 per cent are under 25 and nearly 350 million people already play games, mostly on mobile phones.
In 2025, the continent’s total gaming revenue stands at just over $2bn (€1.84bn) and is forecast to reach $3.7bn (€3.4bn) by 2030. Esports is at the heart of this growth, transforming casual mobile matches in Lagos, Nairobi and Cape Town into structured competitions with prize money, sponsors and career paths.
South Africa leads the way with an esports market worth $29m (€26.7m) this year, almost double the $14.3m (€13.2m) recorded in 2020. The country now hosts some of the continent’s largest events, including the annual rAge Expo and the Mamelodi Sundowns Esports Championship, which recently offered R200,000 (€11,000) in prizes. Teams such as Goliath Gaming and Bravado Gaming represent South Africa at global tournaments, while broadcasters like Samantha Timms help build local audiences.
Across the rest of the continent, tournaments follow a similar pattern. In August 2025, Carry1st ran the Africa Cup in Lagos with a $15,000 (€13,800) prize pool for Call of Duty Mobile. More than 200 teams from seven regions participated, and Nigeria’s Sierra7 emerged as champions. A month later in Nairobi, PUBG Mobile’s Africa Cup paid out $8,000 (€7,360) while Ghana crowned EasyBuy as winners of the Royal Esports Cup in FC26 at Manhyia Palace. These events have attracted sponsors, including MTN, FNB and Nedbank, which pay for branding on jerseys, streams and venues.
Players compete in local cafes or campus leagues before progressing to regional qualifiers and continental finals. Carry1st, which raised $27m (€24.8m) from investors, now publishes games and qualifies players for major international events, such as the COD Mobile World Championship.
For many participants, esports offers a source of income in places where formal jobs are limited. A top South African player can earn income from team salaries, streaming revenue and tournament winnings.
PwC forecasts that gaming and esports revenue in Nigeria will surpass traditional television spending by 2028. South Africa already records $296m (€272m) in consumer gaming spend. Kenya’s market generates $153m (€141m) annually, driven by influencers and university leagues. New infrastructure projects, such as Morocco’s $36m (€33.1m) Rabat Gaming City, demonstrate governments’ and investors’ recognition of the sector’s potential.
Despite growth potential, the industry faces significant challenges, including high data costs, server latency, frequent power outages and hardware costs that are out of reach for many households. Funding remains scarce outside South Africa, leading top talent to often relocate to Europe. Additionally, esports still lacks official recognition in most countries. However, with every fibre rollout, sponsorship deal and new arena, the industry inches closer to overcoming its challenges.
As more young Africans pick up controllers or tap screens, esports provides not just entertainment but also coaching jobs, event staff positions and a platform for global recognition.
