Shift in Perception of Esports from Competition to Innovation in Nigeria

TLDR

• If universities become engines of esports innovation rather than spectators of industry growth, Nigeria may not simply participate in Africa’s digital future it could help define it.
• For the wider African esports ecosystem, this represents another important shift away from viewing esports solely as organised competition.
• For years, esports in Africa has been viewed largely through the lens of competition.
• The National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Esports Federation of Nigeria (ESFN) have begun shaping what could become one of the continent’s most consequential higher education initiatives: a national framework.
• Universities around the world increasingly recognise these opportunities, integrating esports into academic programmes, research centres and innovation hubs.