For too long, Africa has been portrayed as a continent that’s merely surviving, struggling through hardship, battling stereotypes, and making it to the big screen only as a backdrop for tales of poverty or safari adventures. But this year’s Africacomicade’s Gamathon shattered that outdated lens, replacing it with a vivid, inspiring view of African excellence and growth.
Held in Lagos, Nigeria, Gamathon 24 had the powerful theme of “Thrive,” which is synonymous with vigorous growth and development. Over six days, we experienced firsthand what thriving means for Africa’s creative tech landscape. Attendees from all corners of the continent -Nigeria to Ethiopia, Tanzania to Ghana, Benin to Rwanda, Sudan to South Africa, Senegal to Kenya, and even beyond, with the West Indies and France present- gathered to celebrate, connect, and learn from one another.
We were guided by the visionary co-founder Oscar Michael, whose burning desire to see African creatives succeed sparked an energy that felt like an explosion of passion, opportunity, and unstoppable momentum.
From networking with industry leaders to seeing our faces on billboards, we thrived in ways that left a lasting impression. Gamathon 24 brought together video game developers, animators, comic artists, XR developers, and tech enthusiasts, all determined not just to survive, but to truly thrive. And Africacomicade was at the forefront, leading by example. Having attended the 2023 edition, I could see the event’s vigorous growth firsthand. Below are some key highlights from each day.
Day 1: Press Briefing (30/09/24)
Oscar Michael set the event’s tone by saying, “The main aim of this gathering is to connect with one another. Before we go to the Global West, we really need to fix ourselves. Why are we always looking for support out there when we have the resources on the continent, and we’re not interacting and sharing?”
“It’s wrong, it’s very wrong. This event is not about talks or presentations. This is the 5th year, and the main idea is to speak to each other and figure out how we can fix ourselves in-house and how we can go cross-border because there’s so much that we can do together.”
On this day, nearly ten media houses were present, representing a healthy mix of local and international press. Attendees got the rare chance to meet all three co-founders in one room, including London-based Oluwatosin Ogunyebi, who joined this year after missing last year.
Africacomicade’s teamwork was on full display! This year, approximately 60 people were accommodated, and we went from using a single shuttle bus to two full buses, transporting us all around. The number of guest delegates from outside Nigeria quadrupled, emphasizing the event’s growing reach and impact.
Day 2: Independence Day Insights and Networking (1/10/24)
On Nigeria’s Independence Day, delegates enjoyed a relaxed yet insightful day. It began with an online workshop by Joey Ansah, on fight choreography for video games. He is an English actor and fight choreographer, known for his expertise in film and video game adaptations.
Later, a picnic at the luscious Jerome Gardens provided the perfect backdrop for introductions and networking. John Ikpeme, from Dash Studios, announced openings for a game developer, narrative designer, and game designer igniting excitement among the attendees.
In the evening, we headed to The Carven, where one of Africa’s Esports giants, Gamr, hosted a lively dinner for delegates. Alongside dancing and dining, attendees took part in a mini design thinking session. Brian Dyang, also known as ‘The Beast,’ spoke about the challenges African gamers face: “It’s hard to grow a gamer’s following to the 100,000 that brands expect for support. I’m mentoring others to raise awareness and bridge this gap,” he shared, reflecting on his journey from a top eSports athlete in Kenya to a mentor.
Jide Martin, CEO of Comic Republic, highlighted a pressing issue: “We’re focused on game development, but we need to build the business ecosystem around our products.” He urged us to think bigger, suggesting we leverage existing markets like Nollywood to foster growth for African creative techies.
Day 3: Studio Visits and Creative Insights (2/10/24)
Day 3 was all about studio visits. We kicked things off at Kucheza Gaming, where Bukola Akingbade, Kucheza’s founder and CEO, talked to us about her studio. We learned they have trained nearly 20,000 junior secondary students in game design and are exploring creating games to simplify computer classes. Next, at Spoof Animation, we learned about their 9-year journey and growing team of 20 while enjoying light snacks and a Q&A with the team. Our final stop was Maliyo Games, where we played Tabletop Football, talked with studio employees, and competed for prizes.
Later, we visited the Mad House by Tikera Africa—a one-of-a-kind creative hub made from recycled containers, tucked within the University of Lagos. The evening wrapped up with an inspiring session by Zannoza Entertainment’s founder, Suzan Adinoyi. She explored the world of gamification and game-based learning, and we learned that they have over 200 impactful projects under their belt. After the session, we gathered for dinner, and some took the opportunity to capture new professional headshots for LinkedIn facilitated by Africacomicade.
Day 4: Legal Insights, HP Visit, and Animation Showcase (3/10/24)
Day 4 began at Banwo & Ighodalo, where lawyers Ada Aguocha, Timilehin Aladesuyi, and Ayomikun Ogunkanmi shared legal insights, sparking a lively Q&A. Rahma Suleiman from Tanzania asked about possible collaborations with Africacomicade, leading Oscar Michael to chime in: “We’ve been discussing this for the past year. We just completed the Ark Fellowship, and the program is much more structured now. Africacomicade doesn’t handle the legal side, so they will be taking care of that moving forward. There will be an agreement because this is business.”
Next, we visited HP’s Lagos office, the session was led by a Kenyan, Anne Mwende Odhiambo. We learned about HP’s devices, including the ZBooks and Omens. After that, The Beast had fun taking the eye-catching Omen X for a test drive. Anne also introduced us to HP’s Esports Management and Game Development courses.
We ended our day at Alliance Française, where we watched 13 stunning African animated shorts. The film screening closed with Lapo Chapé, a powerful documentary by Mélissandre Monatus. It stirred a thoughtful conversation between the audience and Mélissandre who was in the room.
Day 5: Industry Highlights and Insightful Pitches (4/10/24)
Day 5 was the main industry day. It was packed with inspiring talks, panel discussions, and pitches, concluding with insights from an angel investor. Oscar Michael led the first panel with Johana Riquier and Mxolisi Xaba, who discussed emerging trends in the African video games industry like gamification. They emphasized the value of business mentorship and partnerships for growth.
Next, Jide Martin delivered an inspiring talk on how his studio Comic Republic grew from a small team to a powerhouse with 130 members. “It was all hard work, no support. We didn’t go begging for money,” he said, recounting his journey to a recent multi-million licensing deal with Universal Studios and the studio’s new venture into animation and video games. He advised creatives to think globally, plan strategically, and consider equity over immediate payoffs: “If they want to buy your IP, they see value beyond what they’re paying. Think about equity sharing, not just the money on the table.”
A magician entertained the crowd, followed by a second panel on cross-border collaborations. Oluwatosin Ogunyebi highlighted how SpielFabrique’s co-productions help African games reach global markets. When asked how they ensure Africacomicade’s performance quality, he said, “We measure success by the jobs our Spark Fellowship creates. We aim to enable people to turn their passion into full-time work.”
The final panel focused on bridging the gap between African video games and Esports, with Brian Dyang, recounting how he supports game developers without charging. “Gaming saved my life; now it’s my chance to use it to save other African youth,” he shared.
The day concluded with The Ark Pitch, featuring close to 10 innovative projects the pitches were kicked off by Abiy Hailu the CEO of Enechawet Games from Ethiopia who presented Mamo 3D. After the pitches were concluded we got insights from Ayoola Ogunyomi an angel investor and the CEO of Umbrella on what investors look for in pitches.
Day 6: A Vibrant Cultural Farewell (5/10/24)
Day 6 was all about soaking in the local culture and having fun. We kicked things off with a visit to Oshodi Market. The experience evoked all the senses from the buzzing busy market streets to the sweet coconut candy we enjoyed on our way into the market. We met friendly locals, shared laughs, and picked up colorful African fabrics—some ready-made pieces and others to take home as gifts or for personal tailoring.
Afterward, we freshened up and got ready for the Creative Bloc Carnival. On the way, we paused by the Gamathon Billboard taking in the sight of our headshots—a surreal moment that reminded us of the journey we’d shared.
At the carnival, we enjoyed good food, drinks, and lots of dancing in the rain. Oscar Michael added to the fun by going on stage to hand out awards to lucky winners from a draw. It was a perfect way to wind down and celebrate.
Africacomicade’s Gamathon 24 showed us a thriving Africa that is not just surviving but leading in creative tech. This event replaced outdated views of the continent with a vibrant vision of growth, collaboration, and opportunity. We left Lagos inspired and excited about what lies ahead for Africa’s creative tech future.