Senior software engineer and game developer Olayinka U. Kareem has been named Tech Innovator of the Year 2025 at the Yessiey Awards held in Lagos.
The event, themed Celebrating Innovators and Changemakers, brought together personalities from technology, business, the arts and entertainment to recognise individuals whose work is making an impact in their fields.
Olayinka Kareem was recognised for his contribution to the digital preservation of indigenous African games through Games4Africa, a mobile gaming platform he founded. The app, which is available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store, provides smartphone users with access to games inspired by African stories, culture and identity.
A graduate of Computer Science, Olayinka also holds a Master’s degree in Cloud Computing from the Warsaw School of Computer Science in Poland. His work reflects a growing interest in using technology to preserve aspects of African heritage that risk fading from public memory.
According to Olayinka, his interest in game development is rooted in a desire to ensure that traditional African games are represented in modern digital spaces. He noted that many indigenous games are gradually disappearing as younger generations spend more time on global digital platforms with little local cultural representation.
His decision to build Games4Africa also highlights some of the broader challenges facing Africa’s gaming sector. While the continent’s technology ecosystem continues to expand, game development remains a relatively underdeveloped area, with many young developers choosing enterprise software, which is often seen as offering more stable career prospects.
There are also cost and skills barriers. Game development often requires high-performance computers and specialised expertise in areas such as 3D design, networking and game physics, resources that are not always easily accessible to many young developers across the continent.
To improve access, Olayinka said his studio focuses on mobile-first development, ensuring the games can run on a wide range of smartphones. This approach is intended to make the platform more widely available to users and help build interest in locally inspired gaming content.
Speaking after receiving the award, Olayinka thanked the organisers for the recognition, describing it as an encouragement to continue his work in digital innovation. He also acknowledged the support of his family and team throughout his journey.
His recognition points to the growing role of digital creators in shaping Africa’s creative and technology sectors. It also reflects the increasing attention being given to projects that combine innovation with cultural preservation.
