How to apply for $1million indie games fund to empower African game developers

Denis Mwangi 10:55 - 05 July 2026

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Google Play has launched its first Indie Games Fund for Africa, committing $1 million (Sh130 million ) to support independent game studios across 32 African countries as part of efforts to grow the continent's gaming ecosystem and help local developers reach global audiences.

The initiative will provide equity-free funding, technical support, and mentorship to emerging studios, addressing one of the biggest challenges facing Africa's game development industry—limited access to financing.

According to Google Play, selected developers will receive grants ranging from $50,000 to $200,000 to help expand their businesses, improve their games, and increase their visibility in international markets.

Beyond financial support, participating studios will receive hands-on mentorship from industry experts and technical guidance to optimize their games, strengthen development frameworks, and improve discoverability on digital platforms.

Ben McOwen Wilson, Managing Director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Google Play, said the programme reflects Google's commitment to supporting the continent's growing creative sector.

"Africa's unique creativity has fuelled a vibrant game development scene. Bringing this fund to the continent underscores our commitment to unlocking the immense talent of local studios, providing the resources needed to scale businesses, refine creative visions, and share uniquely African stories with a global audience," Wilson said.

Google said Africa is home to a growing community of creative developers whose storytelling and innovation have attracted increasing attention globally, but noted that many independent studios struggle to access the funding needed to scale their projects.

The application process is now open to eligible independent game developers registered in any of the 32 participating African countries.

To qualify, applicants must operate as privately owned, independent studios with 50 or fewer employees and have already launched at least one mobile, PC, or console game.

Successful applicants will also be required to publish their selected game on Google Play and participate on a non-exclusive basis in the Google Play Pass subscription programme for two years.

Applications will close at 3 p.m. East Africa Time on July 31, 2026, with the 10 successful studios expected to be announced in September 2026.

The fund is open to developers from Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The launch marks Google's latest investment in Africa's digital economy as the company seeks to strengthen the continent's game development ecosystem and help local studios compete in the global gaming market.