In a major development for the gaming industry in Pakistan, a Center of Excellence for gaming development, worth Rs2.5 billion, is set to be established at NED University.
Addressing the MoU signing ceremony of the Centre of Excellence in Gaming and Animation (CEGA) at NED University on Saturday, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication (ITT) Syed Aminul Haque said, “The establishment of CEGA at NED University will connect Pakistan with the gaming and animation industry of the world which has a volume of over $500 billion. At present, of this volume, Pakistan’s share is limited to only $50 million or 0.01%. We hope that through CEGA, Pakistan will be able to turn its short segment into a big one in the gaming and animation industry.”
The MoU was signed by Ignite National Technology Fund CEO Asim Shahryar Husain, a public sector company affiliated with the Ministry of IT & Telecom (MoITT) and NED University’s Karachi campus Registrar, Syed Ghazanfar Hussain.
Si Global CEO Noman Ahmed Said said, “CEGA, being proposed to be placed at NED University, is a tremendously generous gift from the MoITT and credit must be awarded for their efforts of investing in the upcoming youth. Establishing this centre will be a major step in bridging the gap between our nation’s potential versus its current market share, by providing local talent with access to cutting edge technology, platforms and resources that are necessary for success within competitive markets; along with training opportunities from leading industry professionals worldwide.”
“The gaming industry is incredibly profitable and this centre is a great step towards generating specialised individuals who can potentially contribute millions of dollars towards the economic stream,” he observed.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Topline Securities ICT Analyst Nasheed Malik said, “In the recent years, Pakistan has made significant strides in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), with a particular focus on the export of ICT-related products and services. The country’s ICT export industry has grown rapidly, with a number of companies successfully exporting software development, call centre services and other IT-related services to various countries around the world.”
In order to fully harness the potential of the ICT industry, Nasheed said, “Pakistan needs to move beyond basic ICT exports and focus on value addition – gaming being one of those additions. Despite the growth in ICT exports, Pakistan’s ICT value addition export is relatively low. Value addition refers to the process of adding value to a product or service by enhancing its quality or features.”
“This can be achieved by incorporating advanced technologies, research and development, innovation, and skilled human resources. Value addition exports can create high-paying jobs, contribute to the growth of the economy, and position Pakistan as a knowledge-based economy,” he added.
In the last few decades, the gaming and animation industry has grown exponentially across the globe.
“The government’s efforts towards technological advances in Pakistan is promising as this initiative will equip the youth with the necessary skills to establish a local gaming and animation industry,” added the CEO of Si Global.
“CEGA is expected to cater to 2,000 students annually as well as accommodating space for 50 companies working in gaming and animation. This sharing of mutual space will also promote coherency and innovation, allowing both parties to learn from each other,” he said.
Pakistan’s first modern Virtual Production Studio is also in the pipeline and will provide new animators an allocated space designed to promote their craftsmanship.
“Owing to the lack of facilities and institutions at present, our local talent is either never discovered or exits the country. The centre will be a great way of promoting and discovering the talent in our midst,” said Said.
Speaking at the occasion, the ITT minister reiterated the importance of taking these initiatives seriously to make strides and becoming more than just an emerging market. He hoped this initiative would enable Pakistan to become a global leader in the field.
“It has been proven time and again that, when provided adequate support through educational institutions and corporate bodies, the Pakistani youth has excelled beyond expectations. Therefore, I am confident this venture will open up many new doors, both locally as well as internationally, for young people who have always dreamt big but had limited means available until now,” said the minister.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 19th, 2023.
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