Atiku Pledges Gaming Support After Lagos Life Raises $500,000

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has pledged to support Nigeria’s gaming industry with grants, infrastructure incentives and esports competitions, citing the rapid success of the locally developed browser game Lagos Life.

Atiku made the pledge in a post on X while reacting to the game’s growing popularity and the $500,000 funding secured by its developer, Vatar, shortly after its launch.

The Peoples Democratic Party chieftain said the game’s achievement demonstrated the potential of Nigerian developers to create digital products capable of attracting international attention and investment.

He outlined plans to support esports leagues and tournaments, provide incentives for gaming infrastructure, and establish grants, incubators and export platforms for Nigerian game developers.

Atiku’s proposal comes as Nigeria’s digital entertainment sector attracts growing interest from players, technology entrepreneurs and investors. The country has a large youth population and an expanding digital economy, creating opportunities for locally developed games and other creative technology products.

Lagos Life was launched on October 1, Nigeria’s Independence Day, by Nigerian software developer Shalom Rayhamen through Vatar, the company behind the game.

The browser-based simulation allows users to create characters, take virtual jobs, earn money, pay rent and interact with other players in a digital recreation of Lagos. Its features draw on familiar aspects of Nigerian urban life, including danfo buses, power challenges and recognisable locations.

Within nine days of its launch, Vatar announced that it had raised $500,000 in an angel investment round at a reported valuation of $10 million. The investors included Flutterwave chief executive Olugbenga Agboola, who participated through his investment fund, Resilience17, alongside other technology entrepreneurs.

The company has said the funding would support product development and the expansion of its virtual worlds beyond Lagos.

The game’s early growth has also highlighted potential revenue opportunities in virtual advertising, brand partnerships and music promotion. However, its long-term commercial performance will depend on its ability to retain users, manage operating costs and sustain revenue.

Atiku’s pledge places gaming among the creative and technology industries he says deserve greater support. The proposed measures, if implemented, could help developers access funding, infrastructure and international markets.

The pledge is conditional on his election in 2027, and no implementation timetable or detailed funding framework was announced alongside the proposal.