Nigeria opens new front in creative economy with Gamescom debut

A Landmark Debut in Cologne

Nigeria’s emerging games industry has taken a major step onto the global stage with the debut of the Games from Nigeria Pavilion at Gamescom 2026 in Cologne, Germany. The landmark appearance saw a 10-person Nigerian delegation showcase the country’s growing games ecosystem at one of the world’s biggest gaming gatherings, providing Nigerian developers and other industry players direct access to international publishers, investors, platforms, and potential partners.

For the first time, Nigeria hosted an official country pavilion at Gamescom, joining other gaming nations at an exhibition featuring more than 1,700 exhibitors. The three-day event in Hall 4.1 brought together developers, publishers, investors, and international organisations. The Nigerian pavilion served as a central meeting point for stakeholders interested in the games, talent, and ideas emerging from Africa’s most populous country.

Strengthening the Creative Ecosystem

The initiative was created by Maliyo Games, one of Nigeria’s pioneering game development studios, with support from the Embassy of France in Nigeria. Rather than focusing solely on individual games, the Nigerian delegation presented a broader picture of an industry increasingly developing its own talent, intellectual property, research, conferences, and community initiatives.

Hugo Obi, Founder and CEO of Maliyo Games and leader of the Nigerian delegation, stated that the pavilion represented a collective effort to position Nigeria within the global games economy. He emphasized the importance of presenting a unified identity to the international market.

This is a great opportunity to showcase the future trajectory of Nigeria’s emerging games ecosystem and a signal to the world that we have immense talent and the ability to compete in the global industry. For years, many of us have been building studios, training talent, creating games, gathering industry data and trying to connect Nigeria with the global games economy. Games from Nigeria brings all of those efforts together under one identity.

— Hugo Obi, Founder and CEO, Maliyo Games

Global Recognition and Strategic Partnerships

The Nigerian presence attracted significant international attention, including endorsements from global industry leaders. Maria Burns Ortiz, Managing Director of Global Game Jam, described the pavilion as an important milestone for Nigeria and the wider African games development community, noting the immense creativity present in the region.

It is incredibly exciting to see Nigeria establishing such a visible presence at Gamescom. There is tremendous creativity and talent across Nigeria and the wider African game development community, and initiatives like Games from Nigeria create opportunities for that talent to connect directly with the global industry.

— Maria Burns Ortiz, Managing Director, Global Game Jam

Throughout the exhibition, visitors experienced Nigerian-made games and engaged in discussions regarding investment, publishing, and distribution. The programme culminated in the Africa Games Industry Mixer, designed to create stronger connections between African creators and the global games value chain.

Navigating the Future of African Gaming

This development comes as African developers seek to secure a greater share of the economic value generated by the continent’s expanding gaming audience. While Africa is home to hundreds of millions of players, the number of established local studios remains small, and a significant portion of revenue currently flows to international developers. Nigeria is seeking to reverse this trend by building the infrastructure required for a sustainable global participant.

For the delegation, the ultimate measure of success will be the long-term opportunities that emerge after the exhibition concludes. The goal is to move beyond participation toward becoming a significant hub for the creation, ownership, and export of globally competitive intellectual property.

The real measure of success isn't simply that we built a beautiful pavilion at Gamescom. It is what comes next, the introductions that become partnerships, the games that find publishers, the developers who gain access to new markets and the young Nigerian creators who see this and realise that there is a place for them in the global games industry.

— Hugo Obi, Founder and CEO, Maliyo Games