Leaders from Esports Uganda, including CEO Israel Kyarisiima and Federation President Bonny Omara, met with Kaan Bulakeri, founder of the pan-African consultancy WekaMawe Advisory, to explore potential commercial collaborations and ways to increase international visibility for Uganda’s growing Esports sector.
The meeting took place during the 11th annual Sports Betting West Africa+ Summit and the second annual Gaming Event Francophone Africa (GEFA), held in Dakar from October 14 to 16, 2026.
WekaMawe Advisory is an Africa-focused consultancy assisting gaming operators, suppliers, and technology providers with market entry and scaling across the continent. The firm specialises in commercial strategy, strategic partnership development, product localisation, and industry representation.
For Esports Uganda, the engagement aligns with a broader vision of turning competitive gaming from casual recreation into an economic and social driver for young people. The federation aims to build an ecosystem in which Ugandans can thrive not only as professional competitors but also as content creators, event managers, software innovators, and digital entrepreneurs.
“Expansion across Africa is built market by market. You need to understand how people play, what local regulation allows, and who can help you operate there,” said Kaan Bulakeri, reflecting on the SBWA+ closing panel in Dakar. “WekaMawe stands for committed advisory partnerships. We work alongside clients to assess the commercial opportunity, adapt their product and build the relationships they need to enter a market.”
“A player in Kampala should have a route from a local tournament into competitions across Africa,” Bulakeri added. “Those same connections can help Ugandan organisers and creators reach new audiences and find sponsors and media partners. With Esports Uganda, we’re exploring where we can help build those key connections.”
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Speaking at SBWA+ 2026, Kyarisiima called for targeted investment in physical infrastructure, structured competitions and investor confidence to help build a viable gaming sector across the continent.
“Africa does not lack gaming talent or young people with ambition. What we need is the infrastructure, investment and commercial structure to turn that talent into an industry,” Kyarisiima said. “The future is not just about producing better players. It is about building an industry where young people can turn their passion into sustainable livelihoods.”
He also argued that Africa should develop its own intellectual property rather than remain a passive market and described Uganda as a potential gateway for East African esports development through public-private collaboration.
“Africa should not just be the next market for esports. We should also be a place where esports businesses, talent and intellectual property are developed,” he added.
The Dakar discussions mark an expansion of Uganda’s regional networking efforts. However, both parties said the talks remain exploratory, with no formal partnership or commercial commitments publicly announced.
