Esports on Saturday made an historic debut as a demonstration sport at the ongoing 22nd National Sports Festival (NSF) tagged ‘Gateway Games’ in Ogun.
The rapidly expanding sport, valued at $180 billion worldwide, was on full show at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena.
Damilola Pedro, the Nigeria Esports Federation’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), called the achievement at the NSF a daring step in the development of the sport in Nigeria.
She informed reporters that the sport might include young people and support the country’s socioeconomic growth.
“Today at the National Sports Festival Gateway Games 2024, we are not just adding another game, we are making a very bold statement”.
“Esports is taking the stage. With it, so is the voice of an entire generation that has long been ignored, misunderstood, and underestimated”.
“Because 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 industry combined,” she added
According to Pedro, there are over 3.3 billion gamers worldwide, and Nigeria needs to start setting up systems to compete on a global scale.
“In 2023 alone, eSports tournaments paid out over $350 million in prize money,.
“Nigeria, with over 70 per cent of its population under the age of 30, is not just ripe for this moment — we are the movement.
“Esports is not just gaming; it is strategy, communication, leadership, and performance under pressure,” she explained.
“The eSports industry offers a new frontier for employment, education, and empowerment at a time of rising unemployment,” Pedro remarked.
She conveyed gratitude to the National Sports Commission’s (NSC) leadership for embracing innovation and lending support to eSports’ inclusion in the NSF.
In order to improve public awareness and acceptance of eSports, Pedro urged the media to work with the Federation to establish the proper narrative.
Earlier, President of the Nigeria ESports Federation, Messiah Makori said the debut of the sport at NSF marks the beginning of bigger achievements in the country.
The ESports Federation was officially commissioned by the NSC back in February with the aim of empowering Nigeria youths positively through digital gaming.
With the debut of eSports at the festival, the sport is now better positioned to raise more awareness, contribute to youth empowerment and global economic participation.
You can watch the full interview with Damilola Pedro on our TikTok page via the link below: