"Our mission is to challenge stereotypes and provide a platform for African voices in the gaming industry"

• "We believe in building capacity within the community to ensure the sustainable growth of the gaming industry in Africa."
• "Navigating the funding landscape has been challenging, but we have managed to secure support through various grants and partnerships as well as consulting."

Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan returns on November 9th and 10th, 2024, offering you a chance to gain insights into the world’s fastest-growing games market, MENA. As part of our run up, we caught up with Eyram Tawia, CEO and co-founder of African video game company Leti Arts, to discuss his vision for the evolution of the African gaming industry. 

In our conversation, Eyram spoke to us about the company's collaboration with Fortnite, the current state of funding for African startups, explored highlights from his autobiography, and shed light on the company's latest projects. 

PocketGamer.biz: Could you tell us a bit about Leti Arts and what you’re up to right now?

Eyram Tawia: Leti Arts is a pioneering game development studio in Africa, co-founded by myself and Wesley Kirinya in 2009. We focus on creating games and digital comics that tell authentic African stories, blending rich cultural heritage with modern storytelling. Currently, we are working on several projects including new episodes of our flagship series Africa’s Legends, and developing educational and interactive games aimed at promoting African history and folklore.

Some of which are Puzzle Scout and Sweave on both Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Our mission is to challenge stereotypes and provide a platform for African voices in the gaming industry.

How many staff do you currently employ and where are they based?

We currently employ a diverse team of around 20 individuals, with our main offices located in Accra, Ghana, and Nairobi, Kenya. This setup allows us to tap into talent from different parts of the continent and foster a collaborative environment that benefits from various cultural perspectives.

How do you prioritise resources between developing mobile games and your other projects like digital comics?

We prioritize projects based on their potential impact and alignment with our mission to tell African stories. Mobile games are a significant focus due to their accessibility and reach, particularly within Africa. However, our digital comics are equally important as they allow us to expand our narratives and engage audiences in a different medium. We maintain a balanced approach, ensuring that both streams receive adequate resources and attention.

What challenges have you encountered and how have your games been received internationally?

One of the biggest challenges has navigating the funding landscape and ensuring consistent financial support for our projects. Human resources, technical limitations and the need for more infrastructure support also pose significant hurdles. However, our games have been well-received internationally, with audiences appreciating the unique cultural perspectives we offer.

Titles like Africa’s Legends have garnered positive feedback and sparked interest in African mythology and history. This is also the same situation with Sweave, our hyper casual game with African symbols, masks and patterns that has also gained some great traction since its release earlier this year.

As one of the key gaming companies in Ghana, how are you contributing to the local gaming communities? Do you recruit/nurture local talents in the country?

We are deeply committed to nurturing local talent through various initiatives, including internships, training programs, and collaborations with educational institutions. We believe in building capacity within the community to ensure the sustainable growth of the gaming industry in Africa.

Our efforts include running workshops, participating in local events, and providing mentorship to aspiring game developers. We recruit locally and both internationally mostly from our internship programs. We do have a great internship structure that ensures a consistent flow of nurtured talent who make it into our teams and on projects.

Leti Art's comic hero Karmzah is seemingly a playable character in Fortnite. How did this deal come about and is this a long-term partnership with Epic Games?

We are thrilled to have Karmzah’s island deployed in Fortnite. This came about through our efforts to promote African superheroes and engage with global platforms leveraging on the Epic games UEFN. While we have received support in the form of guidance and advice from Epic Games, it is not a full partnership. Our ultimate goal is to secure a full partnership where Karmzah can be a permanent skin in Fortnite.

We are excited about the possibilities and continue to work towards that objective. We intend to launch more islands around our Africa’s Legends franchise as a whole. 

What challenges and opportunities do you foresee for game developers in Africa and what changes have you observed in the local games industry, particularly in terms of consumer behaviour and market demands?

The main challenges include lack of skilled human resources, limited access to funding, technical resources, and infrastructure. However, there are immense opportunities in the growing interest in culturally rich content and the expanding market for mobile gaming in Africa. We have observed a positive shift in consumer behavior, with more people embracing locally developed games and a growing demand for content that reflects African experiences and stories.

Tell us more about funding and support for gaming studios in Africa. What has been your experience navigating the funding landscape?

Navigating the funding landscape has been challenging, but we have managed to secure support through various grants and partnerships as well as consulting. We and most African gaming studios make 90% of revenues from consulting which in our case, is the backbone of our business. We have consulting with very renowned NGOs and corporates globally in a way that gives us some buffer to invest in our internal games.

This is how we have funded our games since 2012 after running out of our pre-seed funding which lasted from 2009 - 2011. Winning awards such as the World Summit Awards, Africa Entrepreneurship Award, Google innovation hero, Vodafone Global Appstar Award and many others have helped bolster our credibility and attract further investment. Nonetheless, consistent and substantial funding remains a critical need for sustainable growth since consulting is quite tough to maintain.

Your biography, "Uncompromising Passion: The Humble Beginnings of an Industry," highlights your journey. What message or lessons do you hope readers take away from it?

I hope readers take away the importance of passion, resilience, and staying true to one’s vision. My journey reflects the challenges and triumphs of pioneering an industry in a region where it was almost non-existent. The key message is to persevere, believe in your dreams, and be willing to innovate and adapt. It is also a testament to the potential within Africa to contribute meaningfully to the global tech and creative industries.

One underlying fact is, it is not a motivational book neither is it an inspirational book. I wrote it to just give a sense of the dreams and what the capability of an African child is from this part of the world. A simple African child with dreams and fantasies in technology and how much grit and passion he committed to realizing his dreams that kickstarted a totally new industry.

What are your plans for 2024 and beyond? Any specific initiatives or projects on the horizon that we should look forward to?

For 2024 and beyond, we plan to expand our reach by exploring new platforms and technologies, including augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). We are also looking to deepen our impact with educational games that can be used in schools across Africa.

Upcoming projects include new chapters in the Africa’s Legends series and collaborations with other African studios to create even more engaging and culturally rich content. We also are actively open for licensing our characters in other video games and animated movies. We have currently done so with Karmzah in Heroes League, the Roblox/Minecraft like EdTech Game service that is launched in the US and are quickly expanding soon to Africa.

We also are launching our Fellowship soon as well as the STEAM Academy program to scale our internships and talent grooming initiatives across Africa.

Want to know what's hot in MENA? Be part of Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan on November 9th and 10th, 2024. You can secure your Super Early Bird ticket today to guarantee your spot and discover what makes this such a vibrant video games hub and network with the global industry.

What can you expect at PG Connects Jordan 2024? 

From insightful keynote speeches and interactive panel discussions to hands-on workshops and networking opportunities, the event is always a hub of innovation, creativity, and collaboration. Gain valuable insights from industry veterans, discover the latest games industry trends, and make connections that could propel your business to new heights.

Don't miss out on savings of up to £300 - book your tickets before June 28th. Prices will increase after this date, so act now to ensure you don't miss the chance to grab your tickets at their lowest price! Tickets are available via the official event website.