Africa’s competitive gaming scene is heating up again. This month, The Gaming Hub partnered with Carry1st to host the Africa Cup Spin-Off Challenge, a community-driven Call of Duty: Mobile (CODM) tournament designed to spotlight talent across the continent.

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It’s not the main Carry1st Africa Cup (that’s coming August 30th–31st), but rather a high-energy side competition created to give more players a platform and get fans hyped ahead of the big stage. And after a week of qualifiers, the Spin-Off has already delivered everything you’d expect from Africa’s growing esports ecosystem: packed lobbies, international representation, and rising names worth following.

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It wasn’t a small warm-up either. The Spin-Off drew in 400 players from across the continent, and after hours of matches, we’re down to the top 100 spots. The finals are tomorrow, August 23rd 2025, and it already feels like history is about to be made.

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The Numbers That Tell the Story

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The qualifiers were spread across four rooms. Two rooms on WhatsApp, two on Discord, each hosting 100 players. From every room, 25 earned their ticket to the next stage. That left us with a clean cut of 100 finalists.

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That’s a 25% qualification rate, which means three-quarters of the field got knocked out before even touching the playoffs. For context, that’s tougher than some global esports qualifiers.

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The event also showed how continental gaming is growing. Nigeria brought the largest number of players, but we also saw talent from Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, and even the Ivory Coast.

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Players to Keep an Eye On

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The top 100 isn’t just random names on a bracket. It includes some of Africa’s most recognised players and creators. This elite list includes:

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• Malay YT: No. 1 AF comps player for three years running (22', 23', 24'). Consistent, dangerous, and probably the one to beat.
  
  
• Sexyviper: one of the few women in the competition, but also one of the most entertaining. She’s already got a big TikTok following.
  
  
• WickedYT (@cod_wicked_yt): another content creator bringing personality and fire to the matches.
  
  
• Abmax911 and 919codm:  consistent performers with solid followings.
  
  
• Crazy TT: repping Ivory Coast and carrying momentum as a rising name.

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Throughout the competition, these players have brought not only their immense skills but also their stories, and that’s what makes tomorrow’s final even more exciting.

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Community and Support Behind the Tournament

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What also stood out in these qualifiers was the organizational backbone. The tournament was hosted by Ace_react, who also streamed and kept the community engaged on TikTok. Promotions and visibility were powered in part through Gacom, a fast-growing African gaming and social platform.

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Gacom is owned by Mobtech Synergy Ltd, a company that’s been quietly shaping digital and gaming culture on the continent. Mobtech’s founder, Akinyemi Akinjide Samuel, has built the company around a simple but powerful idea: technology should solve African problems and open new opportunities. That focus shows here, too. Gacom has supported tournaments with over $10,000 in prizes in the last five years, making it one of the most active platforms backing African gaming.

Additionally, its backing of this challenge is just another step in building a sustainable competitive scene, showing how collaboration between communities, creators, and tech innovators can lift esports to new heights.

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Speaking on the success of the Spin-Off Challenge, Opemipo Fasanya, founder of The Gaming Hub, said:

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“The Spin-Off Challenge shows what happens when we create more entry points for gamers across Africa. Beyond just competition, it’s a chance to build community and give players visibility. The Carry1st Africa Cup itself is proof of where African gaming is right now: competitive, creative, and community-driven and the fact that even a spin-off can pull this much buzz says it all. With 400 players cut down to 100, the stage is set for tomorrow’s final clash. We’re proving that African esports has both the structure and the talent to compete globally.”

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Why Tomorrow’s Final Matters

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Now the fun part. The Spin-Off Challenge Finals take place tomorrow, August 23rd, at 10 pm, streamed live on Ace_react’s TikTok page. The last 100 players represent the cream of Africa’s CODM community, and while this multitude of players enter, only one will walk away champion. Expect tense BO3 and BO5 battles, clutch moments, and a live chat that’s going to be just as entertaining as the matches.

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And then? All eyes turn to the main stage; the biggest showdown in Africa’s CODM calendar. The Spin-Off Challenge is acting as a warm-up for the Carry1st Africa Cup Grand Finals happening next week, August 30th and 31st. If you’re serious about esports, that’s the event you can’t afford to miss. Tickets are already up for grabs, and while they’re free, they’re limited, so get yours now!

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The Final Word

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The Gaming Hub and Carry1st collaboration has shown what’s possible when African gaming communities and tech innovators come together. From WhatsApp group chats to cross-country rivalries, the Spin-Off Challenge qualifiers gave us a snapshot of a scene that’s growing fast, powered by players, creators, and platforms pushing things forward.

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Tomorrow we’ll see the final chapter of this stage play out. A hundred players. One champion for each lobby. And a continent of gamers watching.

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So clear your calendars, get on TikTok Live, and get ready. Africa’s next big esports story is about to be written.

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