Safaricom (NSE: SCOM) has hosted its first-ever Gaming Conference at the Michael Joseph Centre in Nairobi, bringing together industry leaders, gamers, tech enthusiasts and content creators to talk about the future of gaming in Africa.
"Level Up Africa: Unlocking Gaming Potential"
The theme of the conference was "Level Up Africa: Unlocking Gaming Potential," and looked at how gaming is shaping Africa’s future across various sectors including eSports, game development and the role of tech, policy and investment in driving the growth of the continent’s gaming scene.
In addition to the industry discussions, the event was a celebration of pop culture with engaging cosplay, live performances, movie screenings and music and showcasing gaming related merchandise.
Empowering Talent and Building Communities
In her keynote address, Fawzia Ali-Kimanthi, Chief Consumer Business Officer at Safaricom, talked about the many faces of gaming, highlighting its role in talent development, creativity and career opportunities: "Gaming is more than just play – it’s talent, creativity and opportunity. At Safaricom, we believe in powering the youth and building platforms where skills can turn into careers, innovations and thriving communities."
The event also tackled the challenges facing the African gaming industry including the need for stronger policies, more investment for game developers and support to retain local talent rather than losing them to international markets.
Safaricom’s Long standing Support for Gaming and eSports
Safaricom has been a key player in nurturing the African gaming and eSports ecosystem. The company has been supporting youth focused gaming initiatives, providing platforms and sponsorship to emerging talent.
In 2019, Safaricom launched an eSports tournament in partnership with Pro Series Gaming (PSG) targeting youth aged 18–26 who were exploring gaming as a career path. This tournament was also a mentorship and empowerment platform for both casual and avid gamers across Kenya.In 2021, Safaricom launched the MobiPlay Challenge, an 8-week online gaming competition for its Games Lounge service where players competed in various casual games and won daily and weekly prizes and a grand prize.
Last year the company launched the Wai Ndai Gaming Challenge, a 90-day online competition with daily cash prizes and a grand prize of three Suzuki Altos and cash vouchers of KES 500,000.
Connectivity is at the Heart of Gaming
Safaricom’s support for the gaming community goes beyond sponsorships and competitions. At the 2025 Otamatsuri Gaming Convention held at KICC, Safaricom powered the entire event with its 5G network and provided participants with high-speed, low-latency and reliable connectivity for seamless gameplay and interactions.
The Future of Gaming in Africa
Safaricom is committed to gaming innovation and with the success of its first ever conference, the company will continue to champion the gaming industry across Africa and create opportunities for gamers, developers and creators to thrive.
For more information on Safaricom’s gaming initiatives and upcoming events visit Safaricom Gaming.