At the Enugu Gaming Conference 2026, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh challenged Nigeria’s gaming industry to confront its dependence on imported technology, measure the billions potentially leaving the country in licence fees and royalties, and begin building the systems that power the sector at home. Nseobong Okon-Ekong reports
The most provocative question at the Enugu Gaming Conference 2026 did not come from a gaming operator, regulator or investor. It came from the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh.
“How much does this sector remit abroad each year in platform licence fees, data feeds and royalties?” he asked. Then came the uncomfortable admission. “I cannot tell you today, and I would be surprised if anyone in this hall could tell me with confidence either.”
The question, delivered as part of the Minister’s keynote address at the two-day conference in Enugu, went beyond the familiar conversations about taxation, regulation, responsible gaming and market expansion. It forced the industry to confront a less discussed dimension of its rapid growth: who owns the technology beneath Nigeria’s gaming economy, and how much does the country pay to access it?
