History was made at the weekend as eSports, which has the capacity to lead Nigeria’s sports economy drive, participated as a demonstration sport at the 22nd National Sports Festival, tagged Gateway Games.

Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Nigeria Esports Federation, Damilola Pedro, said during the demonstration at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta, on Saturday that “we are not just adding another game, we are making a very bold statement.”

“Esports is taking the stage. And with it, so is the voice of an entire generation that has long been ignored, misunderstood, and underestimated.”

“Because the numbers don’t lie, and so let me set the facts. The video game industry is worth over $180 billion, larger than the film and music industries combined.”

“Over 3.3 billion people play games globally, with Africa projected to house the fastest-growing gaming population, and Nigeria being at the forefront of that conversation, with the projection of having the highest deposit of gamers in Africa and in the world, come 2027, being the third-largest projection.”

“In 2023 alone, the Esports Tournament paid out over $350 million. Nigeria, with its population of over 70% youth, is not just ripe for this moment; we are the movement. Esports is a discipline, esports is data, esports is strategy, esports is communication, leadership, and performance under pressure.”

“At a time when unemployment is rising, and youth potential is being exported or wasted, we have in our hands an industry that can employ, educate, empower, without needing a single drop of oil.
“For us as a federation, under the able leadership of our president, Messiah Mekori, this demonstration of esports at the National Sports Festival is not just a showcase, it is our validation.”

The Esports Federation COO, however, appealed to the media to partner with the Federation to push out the right messages to the public in order to set the right perspective for the realisation of the full potential of the sport.

“This is our call to the media and to the nation, to our journalists, our storytellers, the cultural interpreters — we need you, not just to cover this, but to help the nation understand the importance of this, because how you report this moment will shape how millions of parents, teachers, investors, and decision-makers see us.”

She also urged every stakeholder and player in the sports ecosystem to come on board and join the train rather than wait to play catch-up tomorrow.

She added, “To every stakeholder reading this, partner with us now, or play catch-up later. To every sceptic, watch closely. We are not here to prove ourselves, we are here to take our place. This is not a hobby, this is a revolution. This is what the future of work means, and our children are ready, our young adults are ready, and they’re preparing themselves for the next industrial revolution.”

She praised the Federal Government and the team of the National Sports Commission (NSC), led by Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko and the Director General, Hon. Bukola Olopade, for their visionary, modern, and innovative leadership.

“We have to thank the leadership of the National Sports Commission, the Federal Government, and what they have done for our industry today — accepting and driving the adoption of video games and competitive video games at the national level.
“We do not take this for granted. We’re very grateful to the leadership of the National Sports Commission, especially to the Director-General of Sports, who has continuously championed our cause and continuously been our biggest salesman. We will do you proud at the Esports Olympics, we will do you proud at the Esports World Cup, we will do you proud at all the different championships,” she said.

The President of the Esports Federation of Nigeria, Messiah Mekori, said the entire esports family is very proud of this historic feat to be part of the Sports Festival and said he has no doubt that this will mark the beginning of bigger achievements for the country’s sports.