Mobile Premier League (MPL), a prominent gaming unicorn, has made its entry into the rapidly growing African gaming market by launching its app in Nigeria. This move is aimed at bolstering MPL’s revenue and expanding its user base. With its presence in Asia, North America, Europe, and now Africa, MPL has expanded its reach to four continents.
Through a partnership with Carry1st, a mobile gaming publisher based in Africa, MPL aims to tap into Carry1st’s extensive knowledge of the African gaming market, which boasts a user base of over 270 million gamers. The MPL app will allow gamers in Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, to monetize their skills by participating in paid competitive gaming (PCG). This form of gaming goes beyond traditional games, offering users the opportunity to engage in skill-based gaming contests with low-to-high stakes.
Sai Srinivas, CEO and co-founder of MPL, expressed his excitement about MPL being the first Indian gaming company to launch in Africa, emphasizing the company’s success in the PCG space and its commitment to expanding globally. Srinivas looks forward to establishing a strong presence in the Nigerian gaming market and providing users with a world-class gaming experience.
MPL’s entry into the African market aligns with the rising number of internet users on the continent. In 2022, the African continent had 570 million internet users, with Nigeria leading the pack with over 100 million users, according to Statista. The Sub-Saharan African region saw a significant increase in mobile game users, reaching 186 million between 2015 and 2021, with 95% of them playing games on smartphones, as reported by Carry1st and Newzoo.
MPL highlights that Nigeria has a gamer population of 23%, with 95% of them showing a strong affinity for mobile gaming. Additionally, 32% of gamers in Nigeria pay for games, with revenue per install surpassing that of India, according to MPL.
Founded in 2018, MPL is an esports and skill gaming platform that offers a diverse range of over 70 games, including daily fantasy sports, quizzing, board games, esports, and casual games. It competes with other popular gaming platforms such as Dream11, Games24X7, and Winzo.
Despite reporting a three-fold increase in net loss to $149.3 million in the financial year 2021-22, MPL witnessed a 29% rise in operating revenue to $65.6 million during the same period. With its expansion into Africa, MPL aims to tap into the continent’s gaming potential and leverage the increasing number of internet users to solidify its position in the global gaming market.
