Apple has showcased Nigerian game studio, Maliyo Games, in its annual App Store celebration for Africa Day. Three of the developer’s titles—Crazy Ludo, Safari City, and Whot King—were prominently featured, honouring African creativity in digital entertainment.
These selected games, recently updated with exclusive Africa Day-themed content, were developed by local talent nurtured through Maliyo’s GameUp Africa initiative. This editorial spotlight forms part of Apple’s wider campaign celebrating African innovation across apps, music, games, and film.
“This recognition from Apple is an important milestone for us—and for African game development as a whole,” said Hugo Obi, Founder of Maliyo Games. “It validates the years of dedication shown by our incredible team across the continent. We take pride in sharing African stories through our games, created by African developers for a global audience. Each of the featured titles offers a culturally immersive experience. Crazy Ludo revitalises the classic board game by incorporating African-themed power-ups, dynamic daily missions, and special Africa Day tournaments. Its latest update introduces traditional African design motifs into the in-game visuals. Safari City combines match-3 gameplay with city-building elements inspired by African architecture and narratives, introducing new characters such as ‘Mama Gold.’ Meanwhile, Whot King, Maliyo’s digital rendition of the beloved Nigerian card game, now features an Africa Day Challenge—an online tournament utilising heritage-inspired decks set across iconic African locations.”
Founded in Lagos in 2012, Maliyo Games has become a cultural leader in Africa’s mobile-first gaming industry. Obi further commented, “Apple’s endorsement not only boosts the studio’s international visibility but also signifies the growing recognition of African developers within the global gaming ecosystem. Central to Maliyo’s creative engine is its GameUp Africa programme, launched in 2021, which has trained hundreds of developers from a pool of over 6,000 applicants. Many of the talents behind the highlighted games are alumni of this programme, which also played a role in Maliyo’s recent collaboration with Disney on Iwájú: Rising Chef.”
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