Staying True to Their Roots
Given the global nature of the gaming industry, most developers typically center their creations around popular social themes in an effort to maximize their audience reach. However, unlike other regions, Nigeria somewhat pride themselves on retaining a sense of locality within their locally-created titles. For example, this is evident within Maliyo Games’ 2012 release, Okada Ride. Within the West African country, riding on an okada describes a niche taxi experience that is unique to Nigeria, and this sentiment is reflected within the eight-year-old title.
As per an article by CNN, the browser game is one that possesses a local narrative that is centered around weaving between oncoming traffic in Lagos, Nigeria’s most populous city. Fundamentally, although the title may not have the same depth as other releases that have hit the market, it undoubtedly incorporates true-to-life features that emulate real-world experiences.
More recently, meanwhile, modern-day titles have sought to explore the potentials of African mythology. In 2017, Nigeria’s Akdogan Ali and Umusu Samson created Throne of Gods, a fighting game that focuses on bringing local myths into a fantasy realm. In an interview that’s posted at Africa In Words, Ali stated that he opted to go down the route of African mythology as a means of both educating and entertaining audiences.
Global Games that Have Found Success in Nigeria
As mentioned above, the gaming market in the West African country has flourished in recent times because of a refined focus on locality. However, while Nigeria’s creative abilities have been at the core of heightened contemporary game development, the region has also embraced a whole host of varied titles across numerous genres.
Although there is no suggestion in Ali’s earlier interview that he was directly inspired by other types of mythology, such as Egyptian or Greek, he does comment on the genre’s existing appeal within the industry. Fundamentally, this intertwines with a sector that has long been popular within Nigeria in the form of online slots. Platforms such as Buzz Bingo offer many online slots to modern-day players, including several based around African themes and myths, such as Eye of Horus, a sky god in ancient Egyptian mythology.
Aside from elements of the iGaming industry, mainstream titles have also found success in Nigeria. Intriguingly, the country’s recent embrace of eSports has been central to its gaming evolution. As a result, console-orientated games like FIFA have become part of Nigeria’s gaming scene. Crucially, the Electronic Arts production has been at the heart of the country’s ever-growing competitive gaming scene, with the Nigerian Esports League introducing a FIFA 20 Pro Club League, as per Esports Nigeria.
Finding Success Through a Sense of Africa
Ultimately, there can be no doubts that ensuring an immersive experience that captures aspects of Nigerian culture is at the heart of the West African country’s recent gaming success. While their approach is unique, few can argue against its effectiveness. With revenues forecast to rise over the coming years, it’s undeniably apparent that a sense of locality is proving fruitful to Nigeria’s gaming industry.
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