Africa is Gaming's fastest-growing Market. A Smartphone Revolution.

Africa's mobile gaming market. The fastest-growing gaming region on earth.

Africa has 349 million gamers. More than 95% of them play on mobile. The continent's gaming market is worth $2.29 billion in 2026 and is projected to reach $4.10 billion by 2031 (Mordor Intelligence, Africa Gaming Market Report, 2026). Africa's overall gaming market is growing at 12.32% CAGR. Within mobile specifically, the continent leads globally at 12.51%, the fastest mobile gaming CAGR of any region (Mordor Intelligence, Mobile Gaming Market Report, 2026).The phone is the console

South Africa's smartphone penetration reached 91.2% in 2019 (ICASA, State of the ICT Sector Report, 2020). Tunisia has one of the highest mobile subscriber rates on the continent, with around 91% of adults owning a mobile phone as of 2022 (Statista, 2022). Across West Africa, markets like Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Benin are following the same trajectory, with smartphone adoption accelerating rapidly as data costs fall and device prices drop. In East Africa, Ethiopia and Uganda are among the fastest-growing mobile markets on the continent. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, 4G-enabled smartphones now account for 85% of total shipments (Mordor Intelligence, 2026). TRANSSION commands a 47% share of the African smartphone market, built on understanding exactly what African players want from a device.

The average monthly salary across much of Africa sits around $769 USD (Time Doctor, 2023). A smartphone that handles calls, WhatsApp, navigation, banking, and gaming is the most economical technology decision a person can make. One device for everything makes financial sense at every income level.

The Pan Africa Gaming Group and GeoPoll found that approximately 92% of gamers across the continent prefer playing on smartphones. That number has stayed consistent as incomes have risen. Mobile is the platform.

Who is playing and what they are spending

Africa has the youngest population in the world. Around 40% of the continent's population was under 15 years old in 2023, compared to a global average of 25% (Statista, 2023).

Sub-Saharan Africa alone recorded $778.6 million in in-app purchase spending, making up 90% of all games revenue in the region. South Africa leads with an average revenue per user of $12 per year (Newzoo/Carry1st, Sub-Saharan Africa Games Market Report, 2023), while markets like Ghana, Ethiopia, and Ivory Coast are posting strong growth in both player numbers and time spent in-app. Across the continent, mobile-money ecosystems process more than $700 billion annually (Mordor Intelligence, 2026), removing the payment friction that has historically kept emerging market players out of monetised gaming. Players do not need a credit card. They need a phone and a data connection.

Where the investment is going

Carry1st, based in South Africa, raised $27 million in a pre-Series B round, the largest single fundraise for any African gaming startup at the time. Egyptian based esports platform GBarena acquired Tunisia-based Galactech in a $15 million share swap deal. Lagos-based studio Chopup builds mobile games with African characters and storylines specifically for African players.

African developers are building for the African market directly, without waiting for global publishers to adapt their content.

What this means for the next decade

The global mobile gaming market is projected to reach $241.66 billion by 2031 (Mordor Intelligence, Mobile Gaming Market Report, 2026). The regions driving that growth are Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, all markets with young populations, accelerating smartphone adoption, and a preference for mobile-first play.

Africa's 12.51% CAGR puts it ahead of every other region. Kenya is growing fastest within the continent at a projected CAGR of 12.96% through 2031 (Mordor Intelligence, 2026), with Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda, and Ivory Coast all recording significant increases in mobile gaming activity year on year.

The gaming platforms that understand this market now will be in a very different position by 2031 than the ones still designing for Western and East Asian audiences.

Exscape is a mobile gaming platform built for the Global South, available on iOS and Android. Learn more at exscape.com.