Atiku pledges gaming support after Lagos Life raises $500,000

Former vice president and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar has pledged to support Nigeria’s gaming industry following reports that Lagos Life, a Nigerian browser game, raised $500,000 in an angel investment round three days after its developer was incorporated. He made the pledge in a post on X on Monday, saying the game’s early funding success showed the potential of young Nigerian developers to build a globally competitive entertainment industry.

“When a game about life in Lagos can raise half a million dollars soon after launch, our young developers are telling us something: the next global entertainment industry can be built right here,” he wrote. Atiku said he would support the sector through e-sports competitions, incentives for gaming infrastructure and financial assistance for local developers.

“I will support e-sports leagues and tournaments, offer incentives for gaming infrastructure, and back Nigerian game developers with grants, incubators, and export platforms,” he said. “Our gamers are not wasting time; they are building an industry,” he added. His comments followed a report by TechCabal that Vatar Inc., the company behind Lagos Life, had secured $500,000 in an angel funding round at a valuation of $10m, three days after incorporation.

The company’s co-founder and chief executive officer, Shalom Rayhamen, said that the funding round was concluded quickly because of strong investor interest in the game. “We built something people love that is growing very fast, so a lot of investors wanted to be involved,” Rayhamen said. He added, “We got the opportunity to connect and hear their offers, and because we are growing so fast, we closed it quickly so we could focus on the product.”