The National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) has announced the official debut of competitive esports at NAFEST 2025, taking place in Enugu from November 22–29, 2025. This historic expansion marks a major milestone for Nigeria’s creative and cultural ecosystem—ushering esports into the national festival stage for the very first time.

Through a strategic collaboration with Game Evolution Esports and Cade Esports ,Nigeria’s leading gaming event platforms, and the Esports Federation of Nigeria led by Yahaya Maikori, NAFEST is opening its doors to the country’s fast-growing community of gamers, streamers, and digital creators.

Obi Asika, Director-General, NCAC, said:
“We are delighted to welcome esports to NAFEST. Nigeria is home to over 250,000 active competitive gamers, and it’s time their talents are recognized on the national stage. This partnership reflects our belief that culture is dynamic, and Connected Culture means embracing both heritage and the digital future.”

Kunmi Adenipebi and Chima Paulson Chima, Founders at of GameEvo esports and Cade esports respectively , said:
“Bringing esports to NAFEST is a game-changer. We’re building a platform for players across Nigeria to compete, connect, and be celebrated. From the grassroots to the grand stage, this is our chance to show that gaming is a serious part of Nigerian culture.”

Yahaya Maikori, President of the Esports Federation of Nigeria, added:
“Esports is youth culture. It’s community. It’s commerce. This is the first step toward full recognition and integration of gaming within Nigeria’s creative economy. We thank NCAC for its visionary leadership and call on all gamers to join us in Enugu for an unforgettable showdown.”

This year’s theme, Connected Culture, celebrates the fusion of tradition and technology. Esports at NAFEST is not just a competition—it’s a cultural reset, NCAC said.