If Africacomicade’s Gamathon were a person, she would be an intermediary, a bridge, strong, steady, and always in service of connection. She would rise each day with one purpose: to bring people together. Stretching her arms over rough waters, she’d help creative tech enthusiasts, the curious kind, and bold creators cross safely from one side to the other. She wouldn’t mind the weight of their hopes or the storms that sometimes come with change. Because that’s what bridges do, they hold steady, even when the tides rise.
In 2024, she taught us what it means to thrive. In 2025, with the theme Bridge, Africacomicade’s Gamathon showed us what it means to connect, and she truly became that bridge through her Pan-African tour, linking creative tech communities from Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, and Nigeria. She built pathways that made exchange and collaboration feel possible and real across the Indian, Atlantic, and even Antarctic Ocean’s currents of creativity.
Kenya – Where the Bridge Found Its Footing
In Kenya, she found her allies in the Nairobi Game Development Center and BlackRhinoVR’s XR Innovation Hub, who helped her plant her feet firmly in East African soil. Oscar Michael, Founder of Africacomicade, reflected, “For Kenya, it was about starting something that didn’t exist and then connecting those communities to other markets, similar to what Heva Fund was able to do afterwards with their market access grants.” He also shared how meaningful it was to see local connections come alive: “Meeting the stakeholders in person was huge for us. Some had never even met each other before, so bringing them together in one place was amazing to see.”
Even as other collaborations followed, his tone remained humble and visionary: “Even though we’re not benefiting directly from the partnerships that followed, like with Safaricom or Heva Fund, what we’re doing is helping people make moves. And that’s cool.” These early conversations sparked follow-ups with Heva Fund, Safaricom, Goethe-Institut, and the French Embassy, showing the strength of collaboration when local champions unite.
Ghana – Where Friendship Strengthened the Structure
In Ghana, Gamathon gained a new support system through Nerd Con, ALX, and MEST Africa. Their warmth and collaboration reminded her that bridges aren’t just built from effort, but from friendship too. Oscar noted a powerful shift happening as follows: “A big standout moment in Ghana was the perspective of some of the existing stakeholders. We had many of them talk about moving from grants to actually focusing on generating revenue. That really stood out for me.”
Studios like Relu Interactive, which integrates XR into oil and gas industries, and Animax FYB, which recently signed a publishing deal with Amazon Prime, embodied what it means to grow beyond grants. “These should be our leaders,” Oscar emphasized. “The ones running sustainable businesses that make money. These are the real role models.”
The Android Port Challenge added another layer of excitement, encouraging developers to optimize their games for mobile, a vital step toward accessibility and commercial success. “Africa’s gaming market is overwhelmingly mobile-first,” Oscar explained. “In recent years, we’ve seen many brilliant projects targeting PC and console because of funding and distribution opportunities. But most players here can’t access them. The Android Port Challenge was our way of bridging that gap.”
South Africa – Where Maturity Meets Collaboration
In South Africa, Gamathon stretched further, reaching into the creative energy of Avi Jozi and the Joburg Game Dev Meetup. Instead of creating new events, Gamathon partnered with existing ones, a strategic move that highlighted the maturity of the South African ecosystem. “South Africa was a totally different approach,” said Oscar. “We didn’t organize events ourselves; we joined what already existed. It showed us what maturity looks like in an ecosystem.”
Studios like 24 Bit Games, Chocolate Tribe, and Afro Geek showcased how collaboration and business sense can coexist. “The standout for me was 24 Bit Games,” Oscar continued. “They’re the main studio in Sub-Saharan Africa not focused on their own IP. They provide technical services to local and global studios like Netflix Games and Free Lives. That’s huge.”
And even in the face of competition, South African studios modelled community-first leadership: “These guys understand that you might compete for contracts,” Oscar said, “but when it comes to the community, you come together.” Speaking of contracts, Oscar highlighted, “ITThynk secured the Jobs Fund from the South African government to support the games industry. Structure is still developing across the continent; it’s just developing at different stages.”
Nigeria – Where the Bridge Stood Tallest
And in Nigeria, her home ground, she stood taller than ever, proud and seen. For the first time, Gamathon was officially recognized by the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, and the Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture. It felt like the powers that be were cutting an inauguration ribbon.Oscar beamed as he recounted this milestone: “Another huge thing about Nigeria for us was getting a financial institution, Providence Bank to partner with us. That was awesome.”
“Helping MSI launch its gaming brand in Nigeria was another highlight. They had just entered the market, and we helped them develop their strategy. And we’re working with Sanlam Alliance to turn winning stories from our writing competition into a comic book for schools. That’s how we bring value to the mainstream.”
Shared Passion, Evolving Structures Across Africa
As the bridge stretched across borders, Oscar reflected on the shared heartbeat of Africa’s creative tech scene: “The passion is the same across the board. Everybody wants to build something people will love. The lack of structure exists everywhere, even South Africa complains about not having enough. So, yes, the market is not yet there, but it’s changing and adapting with the times. There’s a lot more attention, a lot more innovation, and it’s exciting to see how things are unfolding.”
When Bridges Need to Rest
Today, she carries countless stories across her Pan-African span, stories of hope, courage, and creativity after standing tall through every storm of 2025. But even bridges need to rest and undergo their routine inspection after carrying so much. During the Nigerian edition’s press conference, a major announcement was made: Gamathon will now take a breather in 2026. She will return stronger in 2027, with smaller events keeping her pulse alive in between.
Challenges Along the Way
Like any great structure, the bridge faced her share of strain. Across all four countries, similar patterns emerged: limited funding, inconsistent policy support, and a lack of long-term mentorship for developers. Many studios still rely on passion projects rather than sustainable business models; the challenge now lies in transforming that passion into structured growth.
Another key gap highlighted during the tour was the need for deeper cross-border collaboration, not just in spirit, but in actionable co-productions and shared learning platforms. Yet despite these hurdles, the flame of creativity burns bright across every region Gamathon touched.
Looking Ahead
In 2026, as she rests, her story will continue to unfold through the eyes of those she’s carried. Her team’s cameras are still rolling, with new interviews planned for Africa Games Week and Playtopia in December 2025. So far, they’ve captured over two hours of footage from Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, and Nigeria, soon to be shaped into some short studio features and a documentary about the video games, animation, and immersive media industries across these regions.
The documentary will remind us why she exists: Not just to be crossed, but to connect. Not just to stand tall, but to help others reach the other side of success, using shared knowledge, best practices, and the unwavering belief that Africa’s bright, creative tech future is already here.