Gaming and esports are projected to surpass traditional television worldwide by 2029, fuelled by the explosive growth of mobile platforms, expanding internet access, and emerging immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented reality.
New figures from PwC’s Africa Entertainment and Media Outlook 2025–2029 show the continent’s gaming market reached an estimated 1.8 billion US dollars in 2024, a year-on-year increase of more than 12 percent.
Of Africa’s roughly 349 million gamers, over 304 million play on mobile, underscoring the dominance of smartphones in the region’s entertainment economy.
South Africa remains the largest gaming market, with revenues of 296 million dollars in 2024 and a projected annual growth rate of 4.6 percent through 2029.
Nigeria follows with 176 million dollars, forecast to climb to 260 million dollars by 2029 at a 7.4 percent CAGR.
Kenya’s market, smaller but fast-rising, is expected to grow from 153 million dollars to 244 million dollars, expanding at 6.9 percent annually.
Mobile gaming leads this surge. In Kenya, recent data from Sensor Tower shows eFootball 2025, Dream League Soccer, and PUBG Mobile ranking among the most-played titles.
eFootball 2025 generated weekly revenues of around 14,700 dollars in the second quarter of 2025, attracting more than 348,000 active users.
Dream League Soccer 2025 reached 32,000 downloads and over 320,000 players, while PUBG Mobile maintained more than 100,000 regular users. Casual games such as Candy Crush Saga also remain popular, with over 200,000 active Kenyan players each month.
Esports revenues in Africa reached roughly 66 million dollars in 2024, with growth driven by youth-led tournaments, influencer streams, and sponsorships.
Despite persistent hurdles; high data costs, unstable power supply, and limited console access—the momentum continues to build.
