What happens when African creativity meets social purpose? You get powerful ideas that can shape the future — and that’s exactly what unfolded during the GameUp Africa Jam for Democracy 2024. Over two immersive weeks, young talents from Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya came together to build games that tackle a critical issue in our digital world: malign influence.
This pan-African game jam proved that when storytelling, code, and purpose intersect, real impact can happen — not just in virtual worlds, but in society itself.
Two Weeks of Collaboration, Code, and Change
Running from December 9–20, 2024, the jam kicked off with a focused onboarding phase. Participants explored how to identify and counter online manipulation, misinformation, and digital threats to democratic dialogue — key challenges in today’s media environment.
Armed with new knowledge, teams moved into a fast-paced week of game development. The result? 30 original game projects submitted by 23 teams across three countries. Beyond the creative output, participants reported a 70% boost in their understanding of malign influence, according to event surveys.
The Winners: Excellence in Game Design
Winners were officially announced during a January 22, 2025 awards ceremony at Maliyo Games HQ in Lagos. The top three teams stood out not only for their gameplay and polish but for their ability to tackle real-world issues through interactive design.
First Place: Team Creotly — “Agent Info”
Step into the shoes of an agent for the Information Management Agency, fighting digital manipulation during a heated mayoral election. Players uncover false narratives, analyze digital clues, and unlock a special ending based on their strategic choices.
Team: Iwunze Miracle (NG), Chidera Nwosu (NG), Nwocha Godswill (NG)
Prize: ₦5,000,000 | KES 400,000 | GH₵50,000
Second Place: Team Organized Khaos — “Echo”
Set on an African-inspired media platform, this game places players in the role of a content moderator. You’ll face viral misinformation, political pressure, and community backlash — all while maintaining the platform’s integrity.
Team: Andy Korshie-Sherrie (GH), Ebenezer Apau (GH), Ravi Allotey (GH)
Prize: ₦3,000,000 | KES 240,000 | GH₵30,000
Third Place: Team Bahd Guyz — “Misleaders”
A clever 2D platformer where logic meets lore. Players must identify and correct falsehoods planted by NPCs, solving puzzles and uncovering hidden truths as they go.
Team: Leslie Elochukwu (NG), Mitchelle Wanjiku (KE)
Prize: ₦2,000,000 | KES 160,000 | GH₵20,000
What Comes Next?
The GameUp Africa Jam for Democracy was just the beginning. The momentum continues with post-event initiatives that ensure these projects reach wider audiences and have lasting impact:
Mentorship & Game Publishing: Winning teams will receive guidance and technical support from Maliyo Games to refine and release their games.
Public Showcase: All completed games will be showcased in March 2025, celebrating a new wave of African digital storytellers and change-makers.
To every participant, mentor, judge, and partner — thank you. Your commitment to using gaming for social good shows the world what African innovation truly looks like.
To explore the games born from this jam, visit the official GameUp Africa page on itch.io (insert actual link). Stay connected with Maliyo Games for updates, future jams, and opportunities to build the next chapter of gaming on the continent.