Lagos State signs MOU with France to develop Esports
On Friday, the Lagos State Government and the Government of France sealed a bilateral partnership that lays the foundation for the development of esports in Lagos State.
Investors in the esports community, Eniola Edun (CEO, GAMR) Sidney Esiri (CEO, KON10DR), Xavier (Star Esports) and Bukola Akingbade (CEO, Kucheza Gaming) were part of this foundational step towards the development of the #esports ecosystem. The MOU aims to invest in the building of the esports infrastructure, education and developmental support for the local esports community, knowledge exchange and access to new markets and existing global esports structures.
Special thanks to the Executive Chairman, Mr. Sola Aiyepeku of the Lagos State Sports Commission for his commitment to the growth of esports development in Lagos State.
Why do I care about esports development in Nigeria?
- Esports are video games played competitively for spectators, typically by professional gamers, but with 99% of 8–15 year olds playing games, esports can be a viable channel to bridge the digital divide for both boys and girls.
- It is an emerging sector in the world with increasing opportunities for careers. Over 140 million viewers watch esports via popular live streaming video platform, Twitch, every month. Likewise, the global audience is estimated to be in excess of 600 million viewers, with global revenues exceeding $2Bn and prize pools in the millions of dollars, esports is a serious business.
- It is an inclusive form of entertainment, presenting opportunities for all regardless of age, physical abilities or gender.
What impact can esports have in schools?
According to an independently conducted impact report by Digital Schoolhouse, Esports: Engaging Education
• 93.94% of students who participate in esports in schools are more interested in computer/computing.
• 87.88% of students said taking part in school esports made them more interested in careers in the video games industry (mostly STEAM Careers)
• Esports significantly improves students’ soft skills, especially communication and team working, increases interest in studying computing and improves careers education in school.
#kucheza, #esports #Lagos
