To develop their nascent industry, Nigerian studios are drawing on their native traditions and "natural creativity"
Maliyo Games founder Hugo Obi
Image: Olympia De Maismont / AFP©
In a dream, a mysterious voice calls out in the night to King Alantako, warning of "chaos" ahead for the young Nigerian sovereign.
He wakes with a start—and sets out on an adventure that will lead him to his destiny and save the kingdom of Ile Kaaro Oojiire.
So begins The Wild Kingdoms—a Nigerian-made video game for mobile phones, published in 2022 by the Nigerian studio Kucheza.
In a gaming world dominated by US and Asian giants, it is distinguished by its setting: west Africa's Yoruba ethnic culture.
To develop their nascent industry, Nigerian studios are drawing on their native traditions and "natural creativity," said Hugo Obi, the Lagos-based founder of another maker, Maliyo Games.