| By: Francis Onyemachi
Google Play has launched a $1 million Indie Games Equity Fund to support emerging game developers across 32 African countries with funding, mentorship and technical support.
The Managing Director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Google Play, Ben Wilson, said the initiative reflects Google’s commitment to strengthening Africa’s growing gaming ecosystem.
“This initiative aims to help independent studios scale their games, attract global audiences and unlock Africa’s growing creative and digital economy. The equity-free fund will provide selected studios with between $50,000 and $200,000 to expand their businesses and strengthen game development,” he said.
Wilson acknowledged that while Africa’s creative talent has produced a vibrant game development community, access to capital remains a major challenge for many promising studios.
According to him, bringing the fund to the continent underscores Google’s commitment to unlocking the immense talent of local studios and helping them share uniquely African stories with a global audience.
The Google Play executive said beneficiaries would also receive hands-on mentorship from industry experts and technical support to improve game performance, visibility and market reach.
Wilson said applications are now open to independent game studios registered in any of the 32 eligible African countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa.
“Africa’s unique creativity has fuelled a vibrant game development scene.
“Bringing this fund to the continent underscores our commitment to unlocking the immense talent of local studios, providing the resources needed to scale businesses, refine creative visions and share uniquely African stories with a global audience,” he added.
He said eligible applicants must be privately owned studios with no more than 50 employees and have released at least one mobile, PC or console game.
Wilson added that successful applicants would be required to publish their games on Google Play and, on a non-exclusive basis, participate in the Google Play Pass subscription programme for two years.
Under the programme, selected studios will receive between $50,000 and $200,000 from the $1 million fund.
They will also gain access to hands-on mentorship from industry experts and technical guidance to improve game performance, strengthen development frameworks and enhance market visibility.
Wilson said applications will close on July 31, while the 10 successful studios will be announced in September.
