Africa’s premier Video Games & Immersive Media Festival returns with Gamathon 2026

Africacomicade has officially announced the return of its flagship annual event, Gamathon 2026, scheduled to take place in Lagos, Nigeria, from October 26 to October 31, 2026 and in Nairobi, Kenya, November 26 -28, 2026. Entering its seventh year, the week-long gathering serves as Africa’s premier convention for the interactive and immersive media industry across Animation, Video Games, Comics, and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR).

Gamathon 2026 builds on last year's edition, which ran across four regional hubs in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and Kenya. That edition urged stakeholders to strengthen their own structures and systems before expanding beyond the continent, and it ended with the production of an industry documentary.

This year's edition, themed “Back to our Roots”, is a critical setup to realign with the realities of the sector, in order to chart a way forward into the uncertainties of the future.  The convention features a mix of exclusive industry sessions and mixers,  hands-on technical masterclasses, exhibitions, networking, and a vibrant celebration of African digital culture.

• The convention opens on Monday, October 26, with an invite-only industry dinner that brings industry stakeholders together.

• On Wednesday, October 28, Gamathon hosts the Women in Games Workshop and Mixer, which is also by invitation. 

• Online sessions run from Monday through Wednesday alongside the in-person events.

• Thursday and Friday, October 29 and 30, are set aside for physical technical workshops and masterclasses with Unity.

• The program wraps up with Industry Day on Saturday, October 31st, 2026, featuring panels, exhibitions and the full documentary premiere.

The Industry Day is the main B2C segment of the convention, allowing the general public to connect with the industry. There will be panels, showcases, a gaming tournament, a first-ever  RC tournament organised by and an after-party.

It promises to be more than an expo- an experience to get immersed in the world of games, animation and comics, connecting with the brands and studios shaping the frontier of Digital entertainment on the continent.

Studios and brands interested in exhibiting can apply through the exhibitor form, which closes on October 11, 2026. For organisations and brands seeking out sponsorship and branding opportunities, they can reach out to people@africacomicade.org for more details.

Africacomicade is a launchpad for stakeholders in Africa's video games, immersive and interactive media industry. Through annual conventions, developer accelerators, pitch competitions, and so much more, Africacomicade provides support to  African game developers, artists, and XR creators, connecting them with  opportunities , global markets, platforms, and investment networks.