Abiola Olaniran, founder of Gamsole and African gaming pioneer, dies at 36
Abiola Olaniran, one of Nigeria’s earliest and most successful game developers, has died at the age of 36.
The news broke earlier today across multiple platforms, confirming the passing of the founder of Gamsole, a mobile gaming company that quietly put African-made games on the global map as far back as 2012.
While much of Nigeria’s tech ecosystem was still forming, Olaniran had already developed games that reached over 10 million downloads in 191 countries, largely through the Windows Phone Store — a platform he understood and monetised long before global expansion became a common startup goal. His demise marks the loss of a pioneer whose contributions helped shape the early trajectory of Africa’s gaming industry.
A graduate of Computer Science from Obafemi Awolowo University and a national winner of the Microsoft Imagine Cup, Abiola represented a rare mix of engineering skill, global mindset, and creative thinking at a time when few were taking gaming seriously as a business in Africa.
Gamsole wasn’t backed by large venture capital. It didn’t ride a wave of ecosystem hype. But it scaled. It reached millions. And it made money.
In many ways, Olaniran’s story challenges common assumptions about what it means to be an “innovator” in Africa’s tech space. He wasn’t building a fintech or a logistics platform. He was creating games, digital products that were culturally resonant, commercially viable, and technically sound.
Yet despite his early success, his name rarely featured in the headlines or award stages that defined the continent’s tech narrative over the last decade.
Now, following his untimely passing, that absence feels louder.
As the visionary behind Gamsole, Abiola built something truly extraordinary. His games weren’t just popular; they laid a foundational blueprint for what Africa’s creative and gaming tech sectors could become, proving that truly global products could emerge from the continent.
At a time when many Nigerian startup founders were chasing the well-trodden paths of financial services, and e-commerce, Abiola dared to focus on something different: interactive entertainment with universal appeal.
Abiola Olaniran`s Gamsole: A global gaming brand forged in Nigeria
Launched in 2012, Gamsole wasn’t merely an experimental project. It was a serious business venture. Leveraging platforms like the Windows Phone Store, Abiola unleashed titles such as “Gidi Run” and “Sweet Candy Fever” – casual mobile games that found resonance across diverse international markets.
Gamsole’s early triumphs are even more impressive when you consider the landscape of the time: limited access to mainstream venture capital, a scarcity of developer infrastructure in Nigeria, and low awareness of gaming as a genuinely viable tech vertical.
Yet, Abiola didn’t see these as roadblocks; he saw them as fuel. A brilliant Computer Science graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University and a national winner of the Microsoft Imagine Cup, he blended formidable engineering skills with sharp commercial instincts. He didn’t wait for validation from local investors or accelerators. He simply launched, shipped, and scaled.
His games were built in Nigeria. His market, however, was the world.
For those familiar with his work, Abiola wasn’t just a pioneer; he was a quiet example of what African tech could look like beyond the mainstream categories. His contributions sit at the intersection of creative-tech, product export, and independent execution — a path many are only now beginning to explore.
At SMEPEAKS, we believe Abiola Olaniran’s story deserves more attention, not just in light of his passing, but because of what it represents: African founders building globally-relevant products outside of the spotlight — and often, without the support they should have received.
Abiola Olaniran proved that creative-tech was serious business. And that vision remains relevant, especially now.
We extend our deepest condolences to his family, loved ones, and peers in the industry. His work will remain a reference point, and in the coming days, we’ll continue exploring what his journey means for the broader tech landscape in Africa.
More to come.
The SMEPEAKS Newsroom is an editorial collective dedicated to reporting on Africa’s tech, business, and innovation ecosystems with clarity, depth, and relevance. Our stories are driven by human insight, journalistic rigour, and intelligent editorial tools, including AI-assisted research and synthesis, to deliver timely, accurate, and forward-looking coverage. We believe storytelling is a catalyst for change, and we’re here to spotlight the people, policies, and possibilities shaping Africa’s entrepreneurial future.
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