African women turning gaming into a living

African women turning gaming into a living

Author: BBC World Service July 31, 2026 Duration: 22:59

Africa's video gaming industry is booming. The sector generated more than $1 billion in revenue in 2024, with mobile gaming making up around 90% of the market, according to KPMG. Although the industry has long been dominated by men, more women are entering the space, building careers as content creators, professional gamers and esports competitors. But breaking into the industry isn't always easy. Many female gamers continue to face abuse and harassment online. So what is it like to be a woman in Africa's gaming community? And why are more young Africans choosing gaming as a full-time career?

Focus on Africa's Nkechi Ogbonna speaks to 30-year-old Techna from South Africa, who left her job to become a full-time gamer, and 25-year-old Saphra from Kenya about the opportunities, challenges and future of gaming on the continent.

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Fana Negash, Carolyne Jotham, Bella Twine and Brian Khisa Senior Producers: Keikantse Shumba and Priya Sippy Technical Producer: Davis Mwasaru Editors: Rhoda Odhiambo and Maryam Abdalla


Each weekday, as the afternoon draws to a close, Focus on Africa provides a thoughtful and necessary pause to understand the continent's dynamic pulse. Produced by the BBC World Service, this daily podcast goes beyond headlines, unpacking two essential stories with depth and context. The reporting doesn't just explain the major events shaping nations and communities; it deliberately highlights the individuals living through these changes, ensuring the human dimension of every story is heard. Furthermore, the program offers a vital African perspective on worldwide events, examining how global developments resonate locally. Under the steady guidance of host Nkechi Ogbonna, listeners are offered clarity and insight, making complex issues accessible. This reliable briefing is crafted to fit into your routine, arriving before the evening with the authority and nuance you expect. Tuning into this podcast means connecting with a nuanced portrait of a continent, its people, and its place in the world, all delivered with journalistic rigor five days a week.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Focus on Africa
Podcast Episodes
Surviving an acid attack [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
Imagine living with the lifelong physical and psychological scars of an attack fuelled by misogyny or romantic rejection. It’s the brutal reality for many women globally, yet the stigma of acid violence forces most survi…
Moroccan Influencer jailed over public indecency [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
A Moroccan influencer is serving a ten month jail sentence for violating public decency laws. Soukaina Janah was found guilty of inappropriate behaviour while marketing a dress on TikTok. She has also been banned from us…
Uganda to send troops to Gaza [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
Uganda's parliament has approved plans to deploy it's troops to Gaza under a U.S.-backed International Stabilization Force mission. This is an invitation from President Donald Trump's Board of Peace initiative which is m…
Somalia: Humanitarian agency warns malnutrition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
An international medical charity is warning that children in southwest Somalia face alarming food shortages. A survey by Doctors Without Borders found half the children screened were acutely malnourished and one quarter…
Vote counting underway after Zambia election [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
Security officers in Zambia have arrested 11 people including opposition candidate Brian Mundubile. The government claims that they could be planning a revolt. Incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema who is running for se…
Are placenta practices changing in Africa? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
A recent report by Cognitive Market Research says the global placenta powder market is expanding rapidly, driven by growing demand for placenta-based cosmetics and dietary supplements. But across Africa, deep-rooted cult…
South Africa seeks reimbursement for migrant deportations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
South Africa says it is asking Nigeria, Malawi and Ethiopia to share the cost of deporting tens of thousands of illegal immigrants to their home countries. The country's Department of Home Affairs says it spent nearly $1…
Conflict, health gaps fuel DRC's Ebola surge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
Deaths from the Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo have crossed the 2,000 mark. Officials have described the outbreak as the fastest spreading in the country’s history, blaming the rapid rates of infection on late detect…
Beats, ballots and Zambia's election music [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:58
Zambia's 8 million registered voters are expected to cast their ballots on August 13, when the country will hold presidential and parliamentary elections. Fourteen candidates are gunning for the presidency but many see i…
BBC investigates murder of top South African detective [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
BBC Africa Eye has seen evidence suggesting a South African police detective, Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa, was shot dead by the country’s special forces while investigating the disappearance of a suspected Islamic S…