Is mobile gaming the future of leisure times in Nigeria?

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Online gaming is a thriving industry worldwide, with over 1 billion players from around the world. Gaming is a top leisure activity for Nigerians as well, with the industry expected to be worth over $128 million by 2023, up from $41 million in 2018, according to Statista.

To reach those players, large and small game developers are constantly dipping their toes into innovations that can offer unique experiences to players, including mobile experiences. Mobile devices used to be home to elementary games that were only used to kill a few minutes of boredom. Today, the story is a lot different, and players have access to a wide variety of games on their mobiles. Take Fortnite or Candy Crush Saga, for example. These are very popular examples of today’s mobile gaming possibilities.

Aside from traditional games, mobile gambling opportunities have also seen a rapid gain in popularity in Nigeria and around the world. You can get an idea of just how many great online casino sites are there by seeing the number of Nigerians flocking to the best gambling sites in Europe. About 4 in 10 Nigerians engage in gambling, to be more precise.

This article explores the reasons why gaming, and mobile gaming, in particular, is experiencing a meteoric rise in the entertainment industry, becoming a favorite option for spending leisure time.

Why is online gaming so fun?

The global mobile gaming industry in Nigeria is as thriving as it is in most parts of the world. Players choose mobile games for a number of reasons, besides the well-known ones like relieving stress, passing the time, and feeling accomplished for completing something challenging.

Unsurprisingly, data found that mobile is expected to top TV in terms of daily screen time, with gamers spending an average of 6.5 hours a week on gaming apps. What’s more, data shows that 78% of players will use these apps every day. Most people surveyed said they engage with gaming to “pass the time”.

And this shows mobile gaming’s clear and massive advantage: unlike TV or PCs, we can take our phones anywhere with us.
In a country like Nigeria, with roughly 170 million mobile phone users, based on cellular subscriptions, it’s expected for mobile gaming to finally have a significant segment of customers to address to.

Does the future of mobile gaming look bright?

Driven by a pandemic-fueled increase in more free time to pass and idle fingers, mobile gaming has exploded in popularity worldwide, including among Nigerians.

Currently, the popularity of mobile games and the sector’s rapid growth shows no signs of stopping. With 43% of the population in Nigeria actively using the Internet and the increasing access and improvement to internet-enabled devices, the mobile gaming industry here is only expected to break revenue records. Competition among local and international operators to attract more players will also drive the industry to grow to the next level.

Source: guardian.ng