Online gaming unicorn MPL forays into Africa, launches its app in Nigeria

E-sports and digital gaming platform Mobile Premier League (MPL) on Monday launched its mobile app in Nigeria. With this, it has expanded its presence to four continents, Asia, North America, Europe, and Africa.  

MPL, which became a unicorn in 2021, has partnered with Africa's gaming publisher Carry1st to launch in the continent. The company is eyeing to monetise the skills of gamers in the continent as they engage in paid competitive gaming (PCG).

"As the first Indian gaming company to launch in Africa, it is a testament to our success in the PCG space and our commitment to expanding our global reach. We look forward to building a strong presence in the Nigerian gaming market and offering a world-class gaming experience to our users," said Sai Srinivas, chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder of MPL.

In 2022, MPL launched its platform in Germany in partnership with GameDuell. In the USA too, the company has been active for the last two years.

Notably, Nigeria has the highest number of internet users in Africa. 70 per cent of its population is below the age of 30 years.

"23 per cent of the population (48 million) are gamers, 95 per cent of whom have a strong affinity towards mobile gaming. It is noteworthy that 32 per cent of gamers in Nigeria pay for games, with a higher revenue per install than India," the company said in a release.

The African nation's gaming market is projected to grow at a rate of 9-10 per cent between 2020 and 2024.