At the time of writing, Nigeria’s gaming industry is enjoying steady growth. According to The Nation, the country’s video game sector was valued at $104 million in 2020. However, in 2021, that number is forecast to reach $126 million, which shows progression. Aside from this growth, there’s a reason for optimism amidst Mondia’s recent expansion in Africa. As the mobile company is following a casino-inspired blueprint to capturing new markets, let’s consider whether it’ll be successful.
The Mobile Market Holds the Key
There can be no doubt that on-demand gaming holds the key to unlocking the untapped potential of Nigeria’s gaming market. For Mondia to succeed in Africa, they’ll need to target the smartphone market, which online casinos have done for much of the past decade. Online roulette at Paddy Power, for example, is full-optimized, meaning that players can explore titles like Dragon Jackpot Roulette and Football Roulette on desktop and mobile. Not only that, but the platform’s games library is available on-demand to registered users, which enhances accessibility and convenience. While Mondia operates within a different gaming sector to Paddy Power, they’re similarly striving to deliver a high-quality, on-demand streaming service.
In striving to break into Africa, Mondia has partnered with MTN Nigeria. As per the network’s official website, entertainment is a focal point of their operations, as evident from their Game+ product. This is a mobile-focused subscription service that grants players access to over 2,000 Android games. Stylistically, this is somewhat similar to Paddy Power in being a mobile-friendly service, and that should give local consumers reason for optimism regarding the future of Nigerian gaming.
Signs of Future Progression
As a company, MTN has the foundations in place to unlock Nigeria’s gaming potential. That said, their partnership with Mondia opens the door to a new era in the country. As per Africa News, this newly-formed relationship strives to deliver convenient and innovative gaming experiences to local players through their Getmo Games service. Like Game+, this is a subscription-based service, but this revamped product consists of unlimited Android and HTML5 games.
Regarding what this means for Nigeria’s gaming future, Dr. Amadeo Rahmann, Mondia’s CEO, believes that the partnership could “lead the next wave of digitalization in Africa”.
While MTN and Mondia are looking to the future to build Nigeria’s gaming industry, other developers throughout Africa are looking to the past. For inspiration, Advanced Television states that developers like Africa Space Programme Video Game Studio & Publishing use traditional tales to captivate local audiences. Sticking to much-loved concepts isn’t a bad thing, as Paddy Power has shown. Over the years, the provider has attracted new audiences by developing their traditional games, such as poker.
Mondia Promises to Make the Breakthrough
Mondia’s expansion into Africa undoubtedly bodes well for up-and-coming gaming countries like Nigeria. With MTN Nigeria, the foundations are in place to create a smartphone-dominated market, and the partnership with Mondia expands the pre-existing library of on-demand titles. As such, the coming years could see Nigeria take significant steps forward and develop a more profitable gaming sector.
