The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has pledged to support Nigeria’s gaming industry through esports leagues, tournaments, incentives for gaming infrastructure and grants for local game developers if elected in 2027.
Atiku made the pledge in a post on X while reacting to the growing popularity of Lagos Life, a Nigerian-made browser game that reportedly attracted millions of users and secured $500,000 in angel investment shortly after its launch.
The former Vice-President said the success of the game demonstrated the potential of Nigerian developers to build products capable of attracting global attention and investment.
He wrote, “When a game about life in Lagos can raise half a million dollars soon after launch, our young developers are telling us something: the next global entertainment industry can be built right here.
“I will support e-sports leagues and tournaments, offer incentives for gaming infrastructure, and back Nigerian game developers with grants, incubators, and export platforms.
“Our gamers are not wasting time; they are building an industry.”
His comments followed a report by TechCabal on the rapid growth of Lagos Life, a free-to-play browser game developed by Vatar Inc., a Nigerian company that raised $500,000 in an angel funding round shortly after the game’s launch.
According to the report published on October 9, 2026, Vatar Inc. secured the investment at a $10 million valuation just three days after its incorporation.
The company’s co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Shalom Rayhamen, told TechCabal that the funding round closed quickly because of the game’s rapid growth and interest from investors.
“We built something people love that is growing very fast, so a lot of investors wanted to be involved,” Rayhamen said.
She explained that the company received investment offers and decided to conclude the funding round quickly to concentrate on developing the product.
The investment attracted participation from prominent figures in Nigeria’s technology sector, including Flutterwave Chief Executive Officer Olugbenga Agboola, who invested through his fund, Resilience17. Oo Nwoye, Nathan Nwachuku, Terra Industries Chief Executive Officer, and Abdulhamid Hassan, Mono’s Chief Executive Officer, also participated in the round.
Lagos Life reportedly reached 4.3 million users, with players from 15 countries. More than 100,000 people were playing the game simultaneously on the Thursday evening covered by the report, while its peak concurrent player count exceeded 200,000.
Lagos Life allows players to create characters, secure virtual jobs, earn money, pay rent and interact with other players in a simulated Lagos environment.
The game incorporates familiar aspects of everyday Nigerian life, including danfo buses, power outages, popular locations and the cost of living. Players can also purchase generators to deal with simulated electricity challenges and participate in the game’s virtual political system.
The game was developed by Rayhamen, who began working on it on September 30 and released it on October 1, Nigeria’s Independence Day.
She used artificial intelligence tools to assist with research and coding during development. The game subsequently attracted widespread attention as players shared links across social media platforms.
Vatar Inc. has several revenue streams, including advertising, music promotion, commercial partnerships and football streaming. Businesses can advertise within the virtual city, while players can also pay to increase their virtual cash balances.
The company said it had earned and contracted more than $170,000 since the game’s launch, although it did not disclose whether the business was profitable.
The latest pledge adds to Atiku’s previously announced commitments ahead of the 2027 election.
On October 1, the ADC presidential candidate promised to reduce the cost of fuel, food and electricity if elected president, while criticising President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies.
In his Independence Day message, Atiku argued that millions of Nigerians were struggling to afford basic necessities, including food, healthcare and transportation.
He also proposed a capped and budgeted production subsidy tied to verified fuel refined in Nigeria, including production from modular refineries. He said the proposed arrangement would be designed to lower pump prices while ensuring transparency in government spending.
Atiku further promised to improve access to healthcare and education, strengthen security and respect the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
