A browser game inspired by Lagos public transport has attracted more than 20,000 players within two days of its public release, according to its creator, Opeyemi Adeniran.

Lagos Run is an endless-runner game that places players behind the wheel of a danfo, the yellow, black-lined buses associated with Lagos. Players collect coins and boosters, stop at bus stops to pick up and drop off passengers, and avoid traffic, pedestrians and roadblocks.

Adeniran, a Berlin-based senior frontend engineer who posts on X as Eureka, built the game around memories of Lagos, particularly Ojuelegba, where he grew up. He said the project began after moving to Germany and missing home.

“I missed home. I needed to go home, so I asked, ‘Why don’t I bring home to myself?’” Adeniran said, according to a report by TechCabal.

A digital version of Lagos travel

The game includes road signs, missions, levels, a leaderboard and a radio feature. Adeniran said the radio was added to reproduce part of the experience of travelling in a Lagos danfo, where passengers often hear music playing during the journey.

“When you are in danfo, you usually hear these guys playing radios…” he said. “So, why don’t we bring the same experience you get when inside danfo into the game as well?”

The first version of Lagos Run used flatter, two-dimensional visuals, while the current version has 3D graphics. Adeniran said he used AI-generated graphics for visual assets and used Claude during development. He also experimented with tools including Unity while exploring web-based game development.

He estimated that building the game from coding through its current versions took four to five weeks. Adeniran said advances in AI could reduce the gap between the number of ideas developers have and the number of games they are able to create.

“If I were to create this game four, five years ago, it would have taken me months,” he said, adding that “with AI, anyone could spin up something to work on.”

Players shape the project

Lagos Run currently requires no login or sign-up. Players only enter a non-identifying username for the leaderboard, and the game has no paywalls. Adeniran has nevertheless said he sees commercial potential in the project.

Players have shared their scores on social media, challenged friends, compared results on the leaderboard and proposed new features. In response to that feedback, Adeniran created a WhatsApp channel where players could contribute ideas.

One player, Ola Lateef, scored more than 800,000 points. Lateef described the game as his first experience with a Nigerian-made game.

“It was new, funny, and had a variety of music on the radio. Trending songs, to be specific. I mean, it was very different and enjoyable,” Lateef said.

Adeniran said he plans to continue working on the game, including bug fixes, new features and possible collaborations. He also said he has additional game ideas based on experiences of living in Lagos.

“It all started as a side project, but at the moment I see a big picture around it,” he said.

The game’s early reception comes as Nigeria’s gaming sector continues to attract attention. TechCabal reported a forecast that Nigerian gaming revenue could reach $226.6 million in 2026, while noting that mobile gaming accounts for the largest share of Africa’s gaming market.