Once upon a time, tabletop games in many Nigerian households meant a predictable lineup: Ludo, Monopoly, maybe Scrabble. These familiar classics still hold a place in our hearts, but a new generation of Nigerian designers is now flipping the script, creating tabletop experiences that are proudly rooted in local stories, languages, landscapes, and lived realities.
Tabletop games in Nigeria offer a unique blend of competition and storytelling, providing a distinct experience. While players engage in strategic gameplay and compete to win, these games also offer a platform for sharing stories, exploring cultures, and building connections.
Through intricate narratives, thematic gameplay mechanics, and immersive storytelling, Nigerian tabletop games transport players to new worlds, challenge their perspectives, and foster a sense of community. Whether it’s exploring ancient kingdoms, navigating mythological landscapes, or uncovering hidden histories, these games offer a rich and engaging experience that goes beyond mere competition.
Three Modern Nigerian Games Reimagining Tabletop Play
Village War: The Calamity by NIBCARD Games
Few Nigerian tabletop games have captured cultural depth as boldly as Village War: The Calamity. Blending card drafting and spirit warfare, players control villages made up of warriors, resources, and sacred artefacts in order to have the most resources. Masquerades, priests, and mythic beings from Igbo folklore aren’t just decorative; they shape the strategy and story of every game. To heighten immersion, the publisher even commissioned a 65-minute studio-recorded “Igbo war music” soundtrack, allowing players battle to the rhythm of ancestral drums and chants.
In Owonikoko (Yoruba for “money in essential”), the table becomes a marketplace of hustle and survival. The game is a fast-paced contest of wit and strategy where players race to amass the most wealth across seven rounds. Each turn, players can draw cards, sell goods, unleash action cards, or block rivals with counteraction cards. The action cards serve a myriad of functions such as allowing players to sell goods in exchange for money, requesting for foreign aid, or even forcing all players to lose some of their money. The result is a lively back-and-forth game made up of deals, disruptions, and sudden reversals. Owonikoko captures the competitive energy of Nigeria’s hustle culture, where quick thinking and sharp moves can turn a modest hand into lasting prosperity.
Three Words Game by Gidi Games
Three Words is a lively, family-friendly charade game from Gidi Games that proves the simplest rules can spark the biggest laughs. Players compete in teams, choosing a row of cards and then giving just three words as clues to help their teammates guess what’s on the selected card. While the format is universal, the charm of Three Words lies in its content. Many of the terms reflect Nigerian life, slang, and traditions, as well as broader references from African culture. Compact, easy to learn, and endlessly replayable, Three Words captures the joy of language, culture, and quick thinking all in a game you can carry anywhere.
From Nigeria to the World
What’s striking is how Nigerian board games are starting to gain international recognition. Titles that centre on African folklore or satirise everyday Nigerian life don’t just appeal locally; they offer fresh perspectives in a global market hungry for new stories. Nigerian designers are starting to occupy the same space that Western RPGs and German Euro board games once held: exporting culture through play.
This global reach also challenges long-held assumptions about what board games can look like and who gets to design them. By centering African voices and experiences, Nigerian creators are not only diversifying the tabletop industry but also expanding its creative vocabulary. These games prove that strategy, storytelling, and fun can emerge from cultural roots.
Rewriting the Rules
Beyond Ludo doesn’t mean replacing the classic; it’s about expanding the possibilities. It’s about games where the mechanics aren’t just about winning, but about understanding, negotiating, and remembering. Nigerian designers are demonstrating that a board can be more than just cardboard squares; it can be a stage for identity, imagination, and innovation.
For the industry to thrive, we must continue to create spaces where both gamers and game creators feel seen, heard, and supported. That means fostering communities where players can discover and enjoy African-made games, while giving designers the feedback, resources, and encouragement they need to keep innovating. It means building platforms that spark collaboration, mentorship, and exchange between hobbyists, professionals, and newcomers alike.
As AB Con 2025 brings together creators and players under one roof, one thing is clear: Nigerian board game design is no longer in its infancy. It’s breaking boundaries, asking bold questions, and proving that the future of play has African fingerprints all over it.
Written by: Hilda Alagada
