The African tech and gaming group is mourning the lack of Abiola Olaniran, the visionary founding father of Gamsole, who handed away on July 16, 2025, on the age of 36. Often called Nigeria’s most-downloaded indie sport developer and Techpoint Africa’s first angel investor, Olaniran’s pioneering work remodeled the continent’s cellular gaming panorama. Right here’s a take a look at his outstanding journey, the impression of his dying, and what it means for the trade in 2025.
A Pioneer in African Cellular Gaming
Abiola Olaniran, a soft-spoken software program engineer, based Gamsole in Lagos in 2012 after main his Obafemi Awolowo College crew to victory within the 2010 Microsoft Think about Cup Nigeria. His resolution to deal with the then-emerging Home windows Telephone platform set Gamsole aside, leading to over 10 million downloads throughout Home windows Telephone, Android, and feature-phone shops by 2015, spanning 191 nations. Titles like Gidi Run, launched with MTN in 2016, showcased African themes and resonated globally, proving the viability of African gaming on a world stage.
Olaniran’s accolades included Forbes Africa’s “30 Underneath 30” listing in 2015 and the “30 Most Promising Younger African Entrepreneurs” in 2016, in addition to The Future Awards Africa Prize for Know-how in 2016. “He by no means wished a highlight, simply progress,” stated Adewale Yusuf, Techpoint Africa’s co-founder, noting Olaniran’s seed funding and workplace house that helped launch the media platform in 2015.
From Gaming to Mentorship
In recent times, Olaniran stepped again from Gamsole’s day-to-day operations to mentor younger entrepreneurs and angel-invest throughout Africa’s tech ecosystem. As Chief Know-how Officer at eLimu Kenya from November 2020 to July 2022, he rebuilt their cellular apps, mixing game-design rules with literacy training. His quiet generosity earned him respect, with friends like @celestocalculus on X sharing recollections of touring Lagos collectively in 2014 as Gamsole took off.
“Abiola’s ardour for video games and dedication to his craft opened new horizons for African builders,” stated a former mentor from the 88mph accelerator program, which supplied Gamsole’s seed funding in 2012. His strategic selection to focus on Home windows Telephone, a much less crowded market, led to three million downloads inside six months of launching, setting a excessive customary for African gaming startups.
Circumstances of His Passing
Olaniran handed away on July 16, 2025, and was buried the identical day in a non-public ceremony, in accordance with sources near his household. The reason for dying has not been disclosed, including to the shock felt throughout the tech group. Posts on X, together with from @TechpointAfrica and @MuyoSan, expressed grief, with @AdewaleYusuf_ writing, “We simply misplaced a good friend and a brother… I’m nonetheless in shock!” Techpoint Africa invited tributes by way of editor@techpoint.africa to honor his legacy.
Why This Loss Resonates in 2025
Olaniran’s dying is a big blow to Africa’s burgeoning tech and gaming sectors, a high-CPC (cost-per-click) subject as a result of its impression on innovation and entrepreneurship. His work with Gamsole, which partnered with Microsoft’s 4Afrika Initiative and MTN, proved African tales may compete globally, difficult stereotypes in regards to the continent’s tech capabilities. His mentorship and investments, together with early help for Techpoint Africa, fostered a brand new technology of startups, making his loss deeply felt.
The African gaming market, projected to achieve $1.2 billion by 2026 per Statista, owes a lot to pioneers like Olaniran, who confirmed that lean sources and relentless iteration may yield world success. His passing comes amid different losses in Nigeria’s tech scene, together with Bumpa co-founder Adetunji Opayele, highlighting the fragility of the ecosystem’s trailblazers.
Challenges and Legacy
The dearth of disclosed particulars about Olaniran’s dying has sparked hypothesis on X, with some urging respect for his household’s privateness. The trade now faces the problem of sustaining his imaginative and prescient with out his direct steering. Gamsole’s future route stays unclear, however its 10,000 each day gamers and progressive video games recommend a powerful basis.
Olaniran’s philosophy, shared in a 2015 Pulse Nigeria interview, emphasised assembly consumer demand over chasing tendencies: “It’s in regards to the area of interest, the chance you’ve discovered.” His deal with African-themed video games like Gidi Run impressed builders to prioritize native relevance whereas competing with world giants like Sweet Crush.
What This Means for the Tech Neighborhood
Abiola Olaniran’s legacy as Gamsole’s founder and a mentor lives on by way of the tens of millions who performed his video games and the startups he supported. For followers and aspiring builders, his story is a name to innovate boldly and provides again generously. “Relaxation simple, Abiola,” wrote @MuyoSan on X, echoing sentiments throughout the group. To honor him, Techpoint Africa encourages sharing recollections at editor@techpoint.africa.
Go to Gamsole’s web site or observe @GamsoleStudios on X for updates on its tasks. As Africa’s tech scene mourns, Olaniran’s pioneering spirit continues to encourage—proof that one coder’s imaginative and prescient can change the sport.