Q&A: Moja Group reinforces its leverage in Africa

EGR Compliance: How have you seen the gaming market in Africa grow in recent years?

MS: Africa’s growth is powered by a combination of a tech-savvy young population, unmatched fondness for sports and entertainment and an increasing penetration of mobile and internet within society. When this environment is coupled with great mobile payment solutions, it makes the African market incredibly fertile for the igaming industry, especially the digital channel. Overall, the industry continues to grow at record pace as regulation paves the way for expansion. This growth has been complemented with improving awareness, demand for new games, innovative offerings and increased competition.

EGR Compliance: How did the pandemic change the market and did it create any long-term knock-on effects?

MS: Africa has witnessed a surge in online gaming during the pandemic. While lockdowns may have shut down sporting events and therefore halted sports betting, players turned to games of chance, virtuals and lotteries to satisfy their entertainment desires. As the jobs market stagnated, players also explored additional avenues for an extra source of income. In addition, the pandemic has boosted the digital channel adoption in an unprecedented way and helped establish it in some markets as the preferred channel. This shift means that there is even more responsibility for companies to provide robust tech and to really understand customer behaviour to protect players. Creating a safe and secure gaming environment is paramount for Moja Group and this process is undertaken with the utmost seriousness. The players’ interests must always be at the heart of our decision making.

EGR Compliance: What is the future of the African market and where do you see the greatest potential?

MS: Africa’s population is expected to double by 2050 and triple by 2100. As one of the fastest growing regions in the world, Africa’s youth is critical to the continent’s future in gaming and entertainment. This has led more and more African governments to liberate their markets and regulate their gaming industry to reap the benefits that accompany a well-structured framework, including increasing revenue through gaming taxes and channelling the extra funds into social and welfare development projects.

EGR Compliance: What are your goals for the remainder of 2022 and how will these be achieved?

MS: The goal for the remainder of 2022 is to build on the momentum generated from the start of the year by reinforcing the company’s reputation as a leading digital expert. Moja Group’s strategy revolves around sustainable and steady growth, which has been the goal from the very beginnings of the business. In addition, Moja Group is looking to diversify its revenue portfolio by expanding into other non-gaming sectors such as microfinance, digital marketing, value-added services and AI services with the ambition of launching fully fledged operations by the end of 2022-23.

There are also plans on the horizon to expand the operation within new markets, either directly or through partnerships with existing operators or national lotteries. These market moves will enable Moja Group to offer its services to an even greater number of players.