About 12,000 stakeholders from the gaming industry, including operators and regulators, are expected to participate in the third edition of the Africa Gaming Expo, scheduled to hold in Lagos from March 24 to 27, 2026.
The 2026 edition carries the theme “Africa’s Gaming Market: Frontier to Prominence”, with participants arriving from 68 countries across the continent and beyond.
At a briefing on Friday, Bashir Are, Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, said the expo will highlight gaming’s growing contribution to revenue diversification and job creation across African economies.
The event will also reinforce Lagos State’s position as Africa’s leading commercial, technology, and regulatory hub, providing a platform for government and industry stakeholders to collaborate on key issues, including:
- Responsible gaming and under-age play prevention
- AML/CFT compliance
- Digital payments adoption
- Regulatory harmonisation
- Application of emerging technologies in gaming and lottery ecosystems
Are noted that the expo will include high-level policy dialogues, regulatory and compliance workshops, technology and fintech showcases, investor forums, and cross-border partnership sessions.
On responsible gaming, he highlighted Lagos State’s proactive campaigns against under-age gaming, backed by a dedicated monitoring and enforcement unit. The state has also partnered with other African countries to jointly blacklist operators violating industry rules.
Reflecting on past editions, Are said the expo has helped young developers showcase their games on the global stage, promoting the business aspect of gaming. He added that the event contributes to tourism and entertainment growth in Lagos.
“Some youths have developed games we have helped them to put on the world stage. We are promoting the business side of gaming. For Lagos State, tourism and entertainment are also key gains from the expo,” he said.
