AGE 2025 (Day One – Tuesday 25th February 2025)

The Africa Gaming Expo (AGE) 2025 commenced on February 25, 2025, at the Eko Convention Centre, Lagos, Nigeria.

The expo, themed “Transforming Africa’s Gaming and Fintech Market with AI,” brought together industry leaders, innovators, and stakeholders to explore the intersection of gaming, financial technology, and artificial intelligence.

Welcome Speech by the Executive Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu

Governor Sanwo-Olu inaugurated the expo with a speech highlighting Lagos State’s commitment to fostering innovation and growth in the gaming and fintech sectors. He emphasized the importance of embracing artificial intelligence to drive economic development and position Lagos as a hub for technological advancement in Africa.

Emerging African Markets: Exploring New Frontiers

Focus on: Angola, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Rwanda, Namibia

The panelist includes:

• Clésio Dias, Head of Department Of Technological Innovation and Service Modernization, Angola Gaming Supervision Institute, Angola
• Jean Claude Mushimire, Executive Director, Rwanda Gaming Association
• Misheck Pachipano Chingozha, Chief Executive Officer, Lotteries and Gaming Board, Zimbabwe
• John Erastus, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Gambling Board of Namibia

This panel delved into the burgeoning gaming markets across select African countries. Discussions centered on market entry strategies, regulatory landscapes, and investment opportunities. Panelists shared insights into navigating the unique challenges of each market, emphasizing the potential for growth and the importance of understanding local contexts to successfully establish operations.

Keynote Address – Harnessing the Power of Artificial Intelligence to Transform Africa’s Gaming and Fintech Market

The keynote address was delivered by Karl Toriola, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, ably represented by A’isha Umar Mumuni, Chief Digital Officer, MTN Nigeria. She focused on the transformative potential of artificial intelligence within Africa’s telecommunications sector, emphasizing how AI is reshaping service delivery, customer experience, and operational efficiency.

Highlighting challenges faced by the telecom industry, the speaker noted that AI-driven innovations are pivotal in improving network optimization, fraud detection, and digital financial services. She further stressed the importance of collaboration between tech developers, gaming operators, and fintech stakeholders to harness AI responsibly and ethically, ensuring a more inclusive digital economy across Africa.

To read more, download the full expo transcript.