Safaricom is getting serious about African gaming

Kenyan telecom giant Safaricom is making a bigger play for Africa’s gaming scene. On Friday, the company hosted its first-ever gaming conference at its Nairobi headquarters, bringing together a mix of gamers, developers, and investors to talk about the future of interactive entertainment on the continent.

The event, dubbed ‘Level Up Africa,’ looked to move the conversation beyond just playing games, focusing on the infrastructure and business of the industry. Panels and talks covered everything from the growth of competitive esports and local game development to the more challenging topics of tech policy and attracting investment.

Safaricom is framing the move as an investment in youth talent and the creator economy. “Gaming is more than just play – it’s talent, creativity, and opportunity,” said Fawzia Ali-Kimanthi, Safaricom’s Chief Consumer Business Officer. “We believe in powering the youth and building platforms where skills can turn into careers.”

But the conference wasn’t all corporate cheerleading. Conversations also tackled the real-world hurdles facing the local industry, including a lack of clear government policies, a tough investment climate for indie developers, and the persistent challenge of “brain drain,” where top talent leaves the continent for opportunities abroad.

Safaricom’s conference isn’t happening in a vacuum. It’s the latest in a series of moves that show the company’s growing interest in the sector. The telco has been running mobile game competitions for years, like last year’s ‘Wai Ndai’ challenge that gave away cash and cars as prizes. It has also sponsored esports tournaments targeting aspiring pro gamers.

More strategically, Safaricom sponsored the Otamatsuri Gaming Convention earlier this year, using the event as a showcase for its 5G network — a move that also served as a flex for its high-speed, low-latency capabilities, which are critical for competitive online gaming.

With this conference, Safaricom is signaling a more strategic role for itself. It’s no longer just sponsoring tournaments or running mobile game promotions; it’s trying to become the foundational platform — providing the 5G connectivity, the M-Pesa payment rails, and now the meeting place — for Africa’s entire gaming ecosystem.