The E-Sports Federation of Nigeria (EFN) is gearing up to kick-start the revamped E-Sports league in the first quarter of 2026, Yahaya Maikori, the federation’s president has disclosed.
In an exclusive chat with Persecondnews correspondent in Abuja, Maikori expressed his excitement about the upcoming league, saying: “We want to create an ecosystem where young gamers can thrive and earn a decent living. Hence the need we bringing back the E-Sports league in the first quarter of 2026.”
This development comes after a six-year struggle to unify stakeholders, culminating in the official inauguration of the EFN at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja in March 2025.
The EFN president reiterated that the Federation is working tirelessly to position the league and Nigeria as Africa’s e-sports leader, opening doors for young talents who may have otherwise been overlooked.
Persecondnews reports that the EFN is currently in talks with sponsors and stakeholders to create a robust ecosystem that supports gamers and professionals alike.
Maikori disclosed that the federation’s website will be up and running soon, enabling the synergy of activities among stakeholders and tracking gaming activities across the country.
“Our website will be up and running soon so we can synergize the activities of all stakeholders, gamers, and professionals, this also gives us the ability to track every gaming activity in the country,” he added.
Despite the challenges posed by widespread poverty, power cuts, and poor network quality, Maikori remains optimistic about Nigeria’s potential in e-sports.
He noted that with over 3.3 billion people playing games globally, Africa is projected to house the fastest-growing gaming population, and Nigeria is expected to have the highest deposit of gamers in Africa and the world by 2027.
“We understand the challenges ahead, and I have a solid team to navigate the tide,” Maikori assured.
In preparation for the league, Maikori said EFN will be exposing top gamers to top tournaments across the globe in the last quarter of 2025.
According to him, tournaments have been lined up in Saudi Arabia, Peru, and other African countries.
“Before the league, we will be exposing our top gamers to top tournaments across the globe in the last quarter of the year, we have tournaments in Saudi Arabia, Peru, and some other African countries.
“We are finishing 2025 strong and starting 2026 with full throttle,” Maikori also told Persecondnews.
“You are aware of what transpired at the National Sports Festival in Ogun State, the Esports Federation of Nigeria made a groundbreaking debut at the Festival, all thanks to the National Sports Commission leadership, their support has been tremendous,” he said.
The EFN made a groundbreaking debut at the 22nd National Sports Festival held in Ogun State from May 16 to May 30,2025, with Maikori lauding the leadership of the National Sports Commission.
Nigeria’s eSports scene is poised for greatness, thanks to its massive population of over 215 million people, with three-quarters of them under 25.
This demographic advantage, combined with the country’s competitive spirit in business, sports, and music, makes it an attractive hub for eSports growth.
Although South Africa, Egypt, and Morocco are currently leading the African eSports landscape, Nigeria’s immense potential and young population could soon give it an edge.
The EFN is tapping into the vast potential of “GenZ generation”, attracting people from other age groups to join in, and has seen significant investments and interest in competitive gaming.
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