Lagos Life, a Nigerian browser-based life simulation game, has surpassed seven million players following its October 1 launch, while its developer, Vatar, has raised $500,000 in angel funding at a reported $10 million valuation.

The player milestone was announced by the game's creator, Shalom Rayhamen, on October 10, nine days after Vatar disclosed the funding round. The investment was announced on October 9 and is intended to support the platform's development and the addition of new cities.

The funding round attracted Abdulhamid “AB” Hassan, co-founder and chief executive of Mono; Nathan Nwachuku, co-founder and chief executive of Terra Industries; and Olugbenga “GB” Agboola, co-founder and chief executive of Flutterwave.

Lagos Life allows players to create characters, find jobs, earn virtual naira, pay rent and interact with other users in a shared virtual environment based on Lagos. The game features elements of everyday life in the city, including danfo buses, power generators and familiar locations.

The game runs in a web browser, allowing users to play without downloading a conventional mobile application. It was inspired by The Sims 3 and Lagos Run, a browser game centred on driving a danfo bus through Lagos.

Vatar also plans to expand beyond Lagos by developing additional virtual environments. Port Harcourt had been added to the game by October 6, according to reports, as the company works towards its wider expansion plans.

The company generates revenue through advertising, music promotion, brand partnerships and football streaming. Businesses can advertise on virtual billboards and rent spaces within the game, while musicians can pay to feature their songs in its virtual clubs.