When Shalom Mathew, a Nigerian developer living in the UK, came across Lagos Run on X, she had no plans to build a game. By the time she logged off that evening, she had decided to build one.
Lagos Run, created by Nigerian developer Opeyemi Adeniran, puts players behind the wheel of a danfo, navigating familiar Lagos roads, traffic, and passengers. The game quickly attracted thousands of players, prompting a wave of Nigerian developers to experiment with games inspired by everyday life in the country.
For Mathew, however, the game triggered a more personal idea. She had grown up playing The Sims, the popular life-simulation franchise, and seeing Lagos Run brought back memories of spending hours building virtual lives.
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Last updated: October 8, 2026
