African gaming has moved well beyond the “emerging market” narrative, with 91% of players choosing mobile as their primary gaming device, according to a new report.
About 75% of African gamers play for more than an hour daily, and 59% make purchases after seeing in-game advertisements, the data points to a mature mobile-first entertainment economy with proven monetization potential.
GeoPoll and the Pan Africa Gaming Group (PAGG) unveiled the 2025 Gaming in Africa Report last week at the Games for Change Africa Day during Africa Games Week in Cape Town.
The expanded study, now covering six African markets with over 6,000 respondents, reveals a gaming ecosystem growing in sophistication, engagement, and economic impact.
For the first time, the study expanded beyond the original four markets (Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa) to include Tanzania and Senegal, providing broader continental coverage and deeper insights into regional variations in gaming behavior, spending patterns, and cultural preferences.
Key Findings from the 2025 Report
● 91% play on mobile devices, cementing Africa’s position as a mobile-first gaming
market
● 75% play for more than one hour daily, demonstrating high engagement levels
● 59% have made a purchase after seeing an in-game advertisement, validating in-game
advertising as an effective channel
● 52% value cultural relevance in games, with 53% expressing strong desire for more
Black characters and African representation
● Mobile money (40%) and Google Pay (40%) now rival credit cards (45%) as preferred
payment methods, highlighting the maturation of localized payment infrastructure
● 32% actively use energy-saving modes while gaming to reduce environmental impact,
demonstrating growing environmental consciousness.
The study also reveals continued challenges around data costs (42% cite as top barrier), lack of funds for in-game purchases (32%), and limited awareness of African-developed games (56% don’t know any games made on the continent).
“The 2025 data confirms what we’ve been seeing on the ground: Africa’s gaming market isn’t just growing, it’s maturing,” said Jay Shapiro, chair of PAGG, in a statement. “The demand for cultural representation is clear, the mobile-first infrastructure is proven, and the willingness to spend is there. Perhaps most telling is the payment data: mobile money and digital wallets now match credit cards as preferred payment methods. That’s the infrastructure shift that makes African gaming viable at scale. What the industry needs now is investment in locally relevant content that matches how Africans actually play and pay.”
John Murunga, Regional Director for Africa at GeoPoll, added: “This year’s expanded study
gives us the most comprehensive view yet of gaming behavior across the continent. The data shows not just scale, but sophistication. Players are engaged, they’re spending, they’re responding to advertising, and they’re making clear demands around representation and cultural relevance. The 59% conversion rate from in-game advertising should be particularly interesting to brands looking to reach young, digitally-savvy African audiences through authentic channels.”
Glenn Gillis, CEO of Sea Monster Entertainment and Chairperson of Games for Change Africa, who launched the report on stage at Africa Games Week, emphasized the importance of the cultural representation findings: “The fact that 52% of players say cultural relevance matters to them, and 53% want to see more Black characters in games, should be a wake-up call for the industry. African players aren’t just asking for representation as a nice-to-have – they’re telling us it affects their engagement and purchasing decisions. Studios that understand this will have a significant competitive advantage in the world’s youngest and fastest-growing market.”
Environmental Consciousness Emerges as Key Trend
In a notable new finding, 32% of African players report actively using energy-saving modes
while gaming to reduce their environmental impact. This data follows similar research conducted by Microsoft at Gamescom 2025 in Western markets and reinforces the global gaming community’s growing environmental awareness.
PAGG, a proud member of the Playing for the Planet Alliance (www.playing4theplanet.org),
hosted the annual Green Games Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, bringing together African game developers and international partners to address sustainability in gaming. The inclusion of environmental questions in the 2025 survey reflects PAGG’s commitment to understanding and promoting sustainable gaming practices across the continent.
“Seeing nearly a third of African players actively managing their energy consumption while
gaming tells us that environmental consciousness isn’t just a Western phenomenon,” added Shapiro. “African players care about their environmental impact, and the industry should respond with more sustainable gaming options and transparent reporting on environmental initiatives.”
About the study
The 2025 Gaming in Africa Report surveyed 6,085 respondents across six countries: Egypt
(705), Kenya (2,800), Tanzania (734), South Africa (704), Nigeria (704), and Senegal (438). The study was conducted via mobile web links on GeoPoll’s research platform between September and November 2025, with respondents aged 18 and above and a 55/45 male/female split.
The full report, including country-specific breakdowns, will be available in three formats: topline deck, long-form analysis, and interactive dashboard. Request for the complete report at www.geopoll.com/gaming-africa-2025.
GeoPoll is a global full-service research agency specializing in mobile data collection across
Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Leveraging access to over 300 million mobile users in 120+
countries, GeoPoll delivers real-time, high-quality insights that support evidence-based
decision-making for humanitarian organizations, governments, commercial brands, and media worldwide.
Pan Africa Gaming Group unites leading independent game development studios and publishers across Africa, focusing on creating locally relevant content for the continent’s 1 billion youth. With presence in 15+ African countries, over 200 staff, and more than 100 published games, PAGG is at the forefront of unlocking the global gaming industry’s next billion players coming online in Africa.