New report shows explosive growth of gaming in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa is emerging as one of the world's fastest-growing mobile gaming regions, with new data revealing that the total number of gamers in the region has more than doubled in the last five years. The report, commissioned by Carry1st and Newzoo, highlights that 186 million people across the region will play games in 2021, a figure which represents 16% of the population.

The report found that mobile gaming is driving the growth in Sub-Saharan Africa, with 95% of gamers across the region playing on smartphones or tablets. This trend is expected to continue, with the region's mobile player audience projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.4% between 2020 and 2024, making it the fastest-growing mobile gaming market in the world. Furthermore, the report predicts that the group of paying gamers in Sub-Saharan Africa is also projected to be the fastest-growing in the world.

The report also highlighted the leading countries in the region for gaming, with South Africa having the highest saturation of gamers, followed by Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and Ethiopia. South Africa leads the way in total annual gaming revenue in 2021, with a figure of $290 million, followed by Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Ethiopia.

Carry1st CEO and Co-founder, Cordel Robbin-Coker, commented on the findings, stating that "Africa is the future of gaming. Thanks to the massive influx of people coming online and a young and dynamic population, gaming in Africa is exploding. Crucially, this applies not only to people playing games, but also those willing to pay as well."

Traditionally, Africa has been overlooked by the international gaming and investment community, given its reputation as a market that is hard to penetrate due to fragmented digital payments and distribution ecosystems. However, with a population of 1.3 billion people and an average age of 19, Sub-Saharan Africa is poised to become one of the most promising gaming markets globally. This report is a wake-up call for gaming companies and investors to take notice of the region's enormous potential and invest in this rapidly growing market.