Global Game Jam (GGJ) and Lagos Games Week have collaborated to launch the Pan-African Game Jam 2026. The gaming event is aimed at bringing together game developers from across Africa to create and showcase their work under the theme: Play without borders.
This jam will begin from 24 April to 11 May 2026, with a livestream from the Lagos Games Week and GGJ teams. Winners will be announced on 25 May 2026. Through this collaboration, aim is to create new opportunities for African developers to connect, collaborate, and contribute to the global games industry.
The virtual event is open to participants from across Africa and will feature a total cash prize pool of US $2,500 along with additional in-kind rewards. Award categories include overall winner, best Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) Game, best tabletop game, and best mobile game.
In addition, the jam will recognise the top game from each participating country, as well as an inter-African team for cross-border collaboration.
The jam will be coordinated via itch.io and GGJ’s Discord. Teams may include international members, with at least 75 per cent based in Africa, and solo developers are also eligible. Open to participants aged 18 and above, registration begins in early April, with interested developers able to sign up on the GGJ website.
“Every year, we see the incredible talent and creativity of jammers across Africa during the annual Global Game Jam,” said Global Game Jam executive director Maria Burns Ortiz.“This collaboration with Lagos Games Week allows us to further support and amplify game development ecosystems across the continent, extending our impact far beyond a single weekend event.”
Lagos Games Week’s Bukola Akingbade expressed, “Our partnership with Global Game Jam is about championing experimentation and building the habit of prototyping. We’re excited to see creators solve problems, iterate, and finish essential steps for Africa’s next generation of game makers.”
This game jam is part of the wider Lagos Games Week 2026 programme, scheduled to take place on 18 to 19 June 2026 at the National Theatre Lagos. The winning team will be featured at the event, with an opportunity to showcase their game.
