In a candid interview with Bartek Borkowski of CEOpenmic, Jeremiah Maangi, the founder of iGaming AFRIKA and Bizin Africa IGaming Consult, shared his nine-year journey into the gaming industry.
Maangi started his career as the country marketing manager at Sahara Games before quitting to venture into his own businesses. During his time at Sahara Games, he was approached by a company that wanted him to join them as a marketing manager. However, after less than a month of working for the new company, he was fired without being given a clear reason.
“I was so heartbroken and went back home to re-strategize and see how I would bounce back,” Maangi recalled.
Despite this setback, Maangi had already registered his own consulting company and decided to become his own boss. After a year, his business started generating some revenue. He has since enjoyed being his own boss and has represented several brands while creating job opportunities amidst the escalating rate of unemployment in Kenya. Jeremiah Maangi CEOpen Mic
Maangi’s companies operate in most African countries but work with various brands and clients from all over the world. He noted that their company is bigger in other countries than it is back at home due to the help of the internet.
The youthful entrepreneur has over seven employees but has a big team of consultants who support him, especially in Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Tanzania. He believes that having local consultants is essential, as it reduces costs, creates employment, and enables one to work with experts.
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Maangi attributes the success of his business to direct referrals, especially from friends, which has enabled him to work with a successful team. He also recommends the use of recruitment firms to get the right people to work with.
Maangi aspires to own a pan-African company. He believes that, when it comes to doing business, Africa should be borderless. The challenges facing the industry are affecting the whole continent, not just one country.
As the gaming sector in Africa approaches maturity, operators and regulators should keep working hard to create a stable sector. Maangi advised operators not to engage consultants who do not have vast knowledge of the industry or personnel who prioritize money over understanding the market.
He also recommended conducting thorough research on what consultants to engage and proper market research before venturing into the business. Maangi believes that there are ways to prove successful taxation methods in developed countries and suggests that there is a need for uniformity when it comes to taxation across Africa. Jeremiah Maangi CEOpenMic
“We are having many taxes on winnings, GGR, stakes,” he said. “I propose we have one unique tax that would cut across multiple countries as this would encourage more investors.”
In conclusion, Maangi emphasized that business is lucrative once the operator is on the right track. “The market is also full of characters who are not genuine,” he said. “We need to engage the right personnel.”
