11,000 Delegates Expected in Lagos as Africa Gaming Expo 2026 Targets Jobs, Investment

No fewer than 11,000 delegates are expected to converge on Lagos for the 2026 Africa Gaming Expo (AGE), a major industry gathering aimed at deepening cross-border collaboration and accelerating job creation across African economies.

The third edition of the Expo, themed “Africa’s Gaming Market: Frontier to Prominence,” will hold from 24 to 27 March 2026.

It is designed to position Africa’s gaming sector as a structured, investable and globally competitive market.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu will host the event, reinforcing Lagos’ standing as Africa’s leading commercial, technology and regulatory hub.

Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA), Bashir Are, disclosed this at a press conference in Victoria Island, Lagos on Friday.

He was joined by key organisers and stakeholders, including Charles Ekundayo, CEO of Africa Gaming Expo; Adenike Oyebamiji, PRO/Chief Operating Officer of AGE; Samuel Roland, Chief Operating Officer of LSLGA; Sheriff Olaniyan, Chairman of the Association of Nigeria Bookmakers (ANB); and Tamunopreye Tuadibofa, Executive Secretary of ANB.

Are described AGE 2026 as the continent’s premier gaming, lottery and emerging-technology conference, bringing together regulators, policymakers, investors, operators, technology providers and compliance experts from across Africa and beyond.

According to him, the 2026 edition reflects Africa’s transition from a frontier market to a more mature, regulated and investment-ready gaming ecosystem.

“The theme captures the growing regulatory maturity, increased technology adoption, cross-border collaboration and the expanding role of gaming in revenue diversification and job creation across African economies,” he said.

The four-day programme will feature an opening cocktail, conference sessions, exhibitions, an award night and a regulators’ roundtable. It will also include high-level policy dialogues, compliance workshops, fintech showcases, investor forums and partnership sessions.

Key discussion areas will cover responsible gaming, anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) compliance, digital payments, regulatory harmonisation and the integration of emerging technologies within gaming and lottery operations.

AGE is endorsed by the Gaming Regulators Africa Forum (GRAF), the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR), the Association of Nigeria Bookmakers, the Lagos State Government and the Federation of State Gaming Regulators of Nigeria.

Organisers say the Expo builds on the success of previous editions and is expected to attract thousands of African and international participants, including regulators, financial intelligence stakeholders, gaming operators, global suppliers, fintech innovators and institutional investors.