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Libya has been known as a country riddled with dictatorship and civil wars in the past. Now, with the cessation of the Second Libyan Civil War, citizens have been able to invest in public spaces for themselves and their peers that create more promise for the North African country. One of the most promising activities for young adults in Libya is e-gaming.
In a country where there used to be little access to new electronics and no e-sports complexes, young adults now fill in e-gaming centers that sprouted up in major Libyan cities-their faces lit up by new, high-quality screens as they engage in sports games and battles through their systems.
There are now at least six gaming centers in Libya’s capital, Tripoli, and more in major cities like Benghazi. The gaming industry has noted the Middle East/North Africa region as being one of the highest-growing gaming sectors, and that has finally been able to spill into Libya in recent years. The country even announced a federation for e-sports in 2018.
This new era is a big deal for the future of Libyan youth and young adults because the country’s history with civil and political unrest in the 21st century did not allow the implementation and growth of public centers like these gaming facilities. Moammar Khadafi’s dictatorship ruled Libya for decades until 2011 which was followed by two civil wars in the country. A final ceasefire wasn’t announced until 2020.
“Five years ago, there weren’t any gaming centers in Libya, not a single tournament, nothing,” said 20-year-old computer science student Sofiane Mattouss in an interview with Africa News.
Mattouss went on to explain that these gaming complexes now host many tournaments where gamers can play against each other and win prizes. These competitions are a great way to engage young people in e-sports and off the street.
”This motivates the players and the youth who have no experience to train and to pursue it as a profession. This will grow in the near future,” Mattouss said.
