Biz Lounge: Naivasha couple on a mission to make gaming viable career for youth

In 2022, Caroline and Mark Libabu—popularly known as Mama and Baba Selina—relocated to Naivasha and quickly noticed a growing interest in video games among the youth.

Despite the limited number of gaming hubs, there was a clear demand.

“My husband and younger brother introduced me to gaming as a business opportunity. Over time, I also came to understand and appreciate the industry,” Mama Selina shares.

They launched their venture, Rangers Gaming Hub, with just five gaming consoles. Today, it has expanded to 15.

With Sh. 200,000 in savings, Baba Selina explains that they secured a safer location and established strong ties with a trusted supplier.

This supplier allowed them to purchase gaming equipment on credit, paying in instalments—an arrangement that proved crucial in getting started.

Once the business took off, they prioritized security, installing CCTV cameras throughout the premises to prevent theft or equipment loss. 

“Security is vital in the gaming business. The location plays a huge role, and we learned that the hard way when our premise was broken into,” Baba Selina recalls.

To promote the Rangers Gaming Hub, the duo organized their first tournament in 2023, offering a cash prize of Sh. 10,000. The event attracted players from Naivasha. 

Encouraged by the turnout, they increased the prize money to Sh. 55,000 for the second edition, drawing participants from Naivasha, Nakuru, and Nairobi.

“The overwhelming response from the first tournament proved the demand. That’s when we decided to scale up in the second edition, and it brought in top pro gamers like Sam Carter and Leon Marlone,” says Mama Selina.

The tournaments have also highlighted the value of partnerships. Their third tournament, the largest so far, featured prize pools of Sh. 150,000 for the men’s category and Sh. 30,000 for the women’s.

“We earn from registration fees, but it’s often not enough, so partnerships are essential. For instance, we’ve worked with sponsor Nilesh Gorasia. Our vision is to grow this into one of the biggest, most unique gaming tournaments in Kenya,” Baba Selina adds.

Beyond tournaments, the gaming hub generates income from daily operations, charging Sh. 40 per game for FIFA and Sh. 50 for mission-based games.

Since starting the tournaments, Rangers Esports has signed three professional players who now serve as brand ambassadors. Mama Selina says they are also looking to recruit female players.

“Our goal in signing players is to prove that gaming can be a viable career—not just a hobby and change the perception that gaming is for the lazy. We especially want to encourage girls, including our own daughter, by offering a platform to build careers in gaming,” she emphasizes.