Esports: towards an African gaming confederation

Archive report · Originally published on 1 October 2023. Translated from French. Statements, estimates and announced projects reflect the situation described in 2023, rather than their present-day status.

Meeting for two days at the King Fahd Palace hotel in Dakar, African esports leaders examined plans to establish a pan-African gaming confederation. The initiative came from Senegal, through the chair of its national esports promotion committee, El Hadji Mansour Jacques Sagna, better known as Lord Alaji Man, a former member of Senegalese rap group Daara-J. Around 30 African countries committed to joining forces to make their presence felt on the global esports stage.

Joining forces to gain international influence

Speaking to SNA by telephone about the organisation's creation, Lord Alaji Man explained the need for unity.

“Culture, and esports in particular, could bring people together and build new bridges for exchange between the peoples of Africa,” he said. “That is the major challenge. We, the video game community, felt we could make our mark, especially as Africa accounts for only 1.8% of the global economy. Gaming in Africa represents an economy worth CFA800 billion and more than 600 million gamers. A projection for 2050 would double that total to 1.2 billion gamers.”

These were the estimates advanced by Sagna in the 2023 interview. The determination to act together was also evident in the African preparatory committee's presence in Dakar the previous week.

“We met for two days to work on the founding documents and give this idea substance in an inclusive way. We can be proud of the Senegalese expertise within the national esports promotion committee, CONAPES, working closely with the pan-African preparatory committee comprising Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Mauritius and Zimbabwe,” he said.

The growing influence of video games offered a reason to give the sector a place in public policy for young Africans.

“Governments will have to shape youth policies with this reality in mind. Beyond the passion, it is a tool for sustainable development among young people and can boost training for careers connected to video games,” Sagna said. “At the same time, it can allow our countries to expand the digital economy by creating investment opportunities. For all these reasons, it is important to come together and create synergies with all the countries that answered Senegal's call. The Senegalese state has done what was needed to give institutional form to this proposal to establish the confederation.”

Strategic partners to support African gaming

The confederation's proposed structure was intended to give it lasting support. Several strategic partners attended what amounted to a major gathering for African gaming. FIBA sent Senegal's Mathieu Faye, newly appointed president of Zone II. UNESCO, Smart Africa and Orange Middle East and Africa also had representatives present.

The new confederation's action plan included a partnership with HP Middle East and Africa, identified in the original report as a particularly important partner.

“We are fortunate to have partners supporting us, such as HP Middle East and Africa through the Gaming Garage programme. This includes signing a memorandum of understanding with HP and establishing Senegal's first training facility devoted entirely to video games,” Sagna said. Other federations on the continent were also expected to benefit. “This programme will be extended to all members of the confederation,” he added.

Senegal's pioneering role

As the driving force behind the gathering, Senegal had made significant progress in organising gaming across the country. Established in 2021, CONAPES was tasked with organising and professionalising esports in Senegal.

“Defining the legal framework, including general regulations and tournament rules, took us almost a year,” Lord Alaji Man said. The work involved studying other models while developing a vision suited to the local ecosystem.

The original report also described Senegal as a member of the Global Esports Federation and put its membership at 187 countries at that time. That historical figure is retained here as part of the archived report, rather than as a current membership count.

“This status allows us to be invited to the Riyadh Games in three games. The teams have been assembled. We held a national talent-identification day to find the potential that exists. Young people signed up in large numbers,” he said.

Senegal had quickly found standard-bearers in Dexx Junior, winner of the 2023 eLigue 1 Tour in France, and Momo Juve, described in the original report as Senegal's sole representative at the 2022 World Esports Championships in Indonesia. Associations such as SENGAME, Gaïndé Gaming and Xam-Xam Lion illustrated that potential within a national community of 25 associations.

“All these associations make Senegal proud through their excellent work,” Sagna said. “We encourage them to continue along this path and ensure that gaming expertise is supported, because organising events is not the committee's role. CONAPES provides a framework. The stronger the community and the associations become, the stronger Senegalese gaming becomes overall.”

CONAPES had signed a partnership with SÉNUM, Sénégal Numérique SA, to use 45 Sénégal Services centres across the country and launch 45 departmental leagues. The planned competition was to be called “SÉNUM esports Competitions, where young people will compete every weekend in video games or activities linked to their passion for digital technology”.

The committee also aimed to build on Senegal's existing sporting structures. “We will soon launch the digital Navétane through the partnership signed with ONCAV, the national organisation for holiday activities. A competition called e-Navétane will allow the 8,866 Navétane teams to take part. Each will have the opportunity to create an esports team and compete at zonal, departmental and regional levels,” Sagna said.

At the time of the original report, a test phase was planned for October 2023, ahead of a full launch in summer 2024. These were announced plans, whose subsequent implementation is not established by this archive.

Moustapha M. SADIO