Maliyo Games

Country: Nigeria

Founded: 2012

Team Size: 30+

Platforms: Mobile

Status: Active

Overview

Maliyo Games is a Lagos-based mobile game studio focused on creating culturally inspired titles for African audiences and global players. The studio develops narrative-driven and casual mobile experiences rooted in African stories, architecture, and lifestyle.

With a team of more than 30 employees across five African countries, Maliyo is currently focused on Safari City, its flagship match-3 property development title. The company has also been featured by Apple and Google Play for its contributions to locally inspired mobile games.

Games

Safari City
Crazy Ludo
Whot King
Secret Letter
Iwaju: Rising Chef
Kewa's Fashion

Intelligence

Maliyo Games is an Africa-focused mobile game studio building culturally themed casual titles designed for local audiences while maintaining global scalability.

The company prioritises mobile distribution and focuses on validating retention and monetisation within African markets before expanding internationally. Alongside game development, Maliyo plays an active role in ecosystem building through training initiatives and industry events.

Funding & Backing

Independent studio
Funding Secured: Undisclosed
Programme Value: Private funding and partnerships
Capital stage: Early-stage independent

Strategic Model

Platform direction: Mobile-only
Core genres: Casual, match-3, culturally themed adaptations
Monetisation approach: Mobile free-to-play models
Design approach: Africa-first development with global scalability
Market strategy: Validate retention and monetisation in African markets before global expansion
Positioning: Mobile-first studio focused on culturally localised games

Active & Upcoming Projects

Multiple culturally themed mobile titles
New mobile projects in development
Kewa's Fashion (November 2026)

Performance Signals

Featured by Apple for Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day
Spotlighted in Google Play’s global #WeArePlay campaign

Key Person

Hugo Obi - Founder