Maliyo, ASU Unveil Programme To Bridge Skills Gap In Gaming, AI

Indigenous gaming firm Maliyo Games has partnered with Arizona State University through its Endless Games and Learning Lab to train 10,000 African talent in artificial intelligence (AI) and game development, in a move aimed at accelerating digital workforce development across the continent.

The initiative, unveiled at the University of Lagos, introduces a framework for micro-credentialing, externships and experiential learning, designed to bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world production in the fast-growing interactive media industry.

Founding director of the Endless Games and Learning Lab at Arizona State University, Mark Olilla, disclosed that the collaboration aligns with global efforts to unlock emerging talent pools, particularly in Africa.

According to him, “We are looking for partners all around the world, and we know that Africa is an important area because the next billion jobs are going to come from Africa,” Olilla said.

He added, “We want to expand that and build an ecosystem where they’re working together and helping each other get lifted in this world.”

He further explained that the partnership fits into the university’s broader global strategy of creating alternative learning pathways tailored to different environments.

He asserted, “A person in Nigeria has a different way of learning from a person who might be in China or in America or Europe. What we’re doing here is issuing micro-credentials to emphasise they made something and that is something we celebrate.”

Commenting, assistant director at the Endless Games and Learning Lab, Bola Akinrolabu, said that while the initiative is still in its early stages, infrastructure remains a potential concern.

“I think one of the things that I envisage might become a challenge is infrastructure and that’s something we are looking to solve,” he said.

Akinrolabu, however, defended the programme structure, which is a five-month duration, stating that the model has been tested globally.

“This is a model that has been tested and proven, and we even do game jams where people are asked to make a game in four days, and at the end, they’ve made a game that people can play, as the pressure makes you learn very quickly,” he said.

He further explained that success would be measured through tangible outputs. “At the end, you should have an artefact or something to show and then we give you a micro-credential to validate that you went through this process,” he averred.

He added that peer-to-peer mentorship remains a core component of the programme.

Chief executive officer of Maliyo Games, Hugo Obi, described the initiative as a strategic step toward scaling Africa’s gaming talent pipeline. “For me, it’s about accelerating talent development; the skills mapping that we’re doing is now bringing a little bit more science into the talent development,” he said.

Obi added that the programme is inclusive and accessible beyond traditional academic pathways. “These programs are not just for university students. It’s available to people in the workforce, secondary school and people who didn’t even go to university as the fact that the program itself is virtual means that people can participate from anywhere,” he said.

He identified a major gap in the industry as the transition from consumption to production. “The shift that we want is to see people become creators of games, not just consumers, because through production, we can create exports, and that is how we have soft power,” he stated.

According to him, the partnership builds on Maliyo’s existing track record. “We’ve been doing this for five years, and the only reason why they are here is that they have seen that what we are doing is working… now maybe we can reach 50,000 people,”

Consequently, the founder of the Maliyo games added that more industry and government partnerships would be announced in the coming weeks.