Cracking East Africa: Market entry & partnership strategies - Part 2
East Africa, like the rest of the continent, is a diverse market with huge potential. It is home to some of the best-performing markets in Africa. The opportunity for operators to grow is substantial if they have the right strategies and the right partnerships.
In part 1 of this interview with Velex Advisory’s Christine Akoyo, she discussed the factors that drive successful business entries and collaborations that help solidify operators’ presence in the African market. In part 2 of this interview, she highlights how consumer behaviour, digital adoption, and stakeholder engagement are shaping East Africa’s gambling industry.
SiGMA: How are shifting consumer behaviours and digital adoption trends reshaping partnership strategies in fintech and gaming sectors?
AC: Consumer behaviour in East Africa is evolving very fast, especially with mobile-first adoption.
You’re seeing:
- A shift toward instant, seamless digital payments
- Increased trust in mobile platforms over traditional systems
- And a growing appetite for digital entertainment and gaming
This means partnerships now need to focus more on:
- User experience
- Speed of transactions
- And localised product offerings
The brands that win are those that partner with players who already understand these behaviours, telcos, payment providers, and local platforms.
SiGMA: What role does stakeholder engagement play in unlocking investment opportunities, and how do you align public and private sector interests effectively?
AC: Stakeholder engagement is everything in this market. You can have capital and a great product, but without alignment between regulators, private sector players, and local communities, execution becomes difficult.
What we do is focus on bringing all stakeholders into the same room early, to align expectations, address concerns, and identify shared value.
It’s about shifting from “market entry” to ecosystem integration. When public and private sectors are aligned, you unlock not just investment, but sustainable growth.
SiGMA: With increasing global interest in African markets, where are you seeing the most untapped opportunities for investors and operators right now?
AC: There’s still a massive opportunity in:
- Payment infrastructure, especially cross-border and crypto-enabled payments
- RegTech solutions, helping companies navigate compliance more efficiently
- Localised gaming content and platforms
- And embedded finance within non-financial platforms
I also think there’s a gap in platforms that connect investors, regulators, and operators in a structured way, because access to the right networks is still a major barrier.
SiGMA: What trends do you think will define partnership-led growth in East Africa’s market over the next three to five years?
AC: Over the next 3–5 years, I see partnerships becoming more ecosystem-driven rather than transactional.
A few key trends:
- Regulator involvement in industry conversations will increase significantly
- Cross-border collaboration will become more structured
- And crypto and alternative payments will play a bigger role in market expansion
This is exactly the direction we’re pushing with Gaming Tech Summit Africa (GTSA), not just as an event, but as a convergence platform where partnerships are formed across regulators, fintechs, gaming operators, and investors.
The future of growth in East Africa will depend on who you partner with, how well you understand the ecosystem, and how quickly you can adapt to change within the market.
Partnerships will define East Africa’s next growth phase
East Africa’s gaming and fintech sectors are entering a new growth phase driven by digital adoption, localised innovation and greater ecosystem collaboration. As Christine Akoyo explains, success in the region will be less about simple market entry and more about building strategic partnerships that align regulators, operators, investors and technology providers.
Opportunities are growing in payments, RegTech and cross-border infrastructure, and companies that can adapt rapidly and understand local market dynamics will be best positioned for long-term growth.
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