Trailblazing founder of mobile gaming company Gamsole and a notable figure in Africa’s tech ecosystem, Abiola Olaniran has died at the age of 36.

He passed away on Wednesday, July 16, and was buried the same day in a private ceremony.

Olaniran gained international recognition after winning the Microsoft Imagine Cup in 2010, before going on to establish Gamsole in Lagos in 2012. His work marked a turning point for mobile game development on the continent, with Gamsole’s titles amassing over 10 million downloads across Windows Phone, Android, and feature-phone platforms by 2015.

In 2016, he partnered with telecommunications giant MTN to launch Gidi Run, a flagship title that introduced new monetisation models to African gaming.

Olaniran’s impact extended beyond gaming. He was an early backer of Techpoint Africa, providing initial capital for the media platform’s launch in 2015. He later served as Chief Technology Officer at eLimu, a Kenyan ed-tech company, where he led the redevelopment of its mobile learning apps.

Recognised by Forbes Africa in its “30 Under 30” list in 2015 and later as one of the “30 Most Promising Young African Entrepreneurs” in 2016, Olaniran was celebrated not only for his innovation but for his dedication to growing the African tech ecosystem.

In recent years, he stepped back from day-to-day operations at Gamsole to focus on mentoring young developers and investing in early-stage startups across the continent.

His death marks a significant loss to the African tech and gaming community.