A leading African game development Maliyo Games studio has announced a partnership with Arizona State University (ASU), to advance game development education and up skill African talent through artificial intelligence (AI) curriculum. In particular, the duo partnership is set to expand over the next few years, aiming to train and certify 10,000 learners across Africa in both AI and game development.
Some representatives from Arizona State University, United States, who visited Maliyo Games in Lagos, Nigeria, where they engaged with trainers and learners, explored expansion opportunities, and gained deeper insight into the local African gaming ecosystem.
According to the company, the visit reinforced a shared commitment to building learning solutions that are both globally relevant and locally impactful. Through offering micro credentials to learners who complete its practical training programme, the programme equips talents with industry-relevant skills and real-world experience in game development and AI.
This is a joint venture between Maliyo Games through its GameUp Africa training initiative and Arizona State University through the Endless Games and Learning Lab. At the core of the collaboration is a micro-credential framework that enables learners to earn Arizona State University certifications while building practical, market-ready skills.
These credentials are designed to be flexible and stackable, allowing participants to progress at their own pace while staying aligned with global workforce demands.
Since its initial rollout in early 2026, the programme has successfully delivered over 150 micro-credentials to the first cohort of GameUp Africa’s graduates, with each learner earning a certificate and badge issued directly by Arizona State University, demonstrating early impact and strong potential for scale.
Founding Director, Endless Games and Learning Lab, Arizona State University, Mark Olilla, enthused: “This marks a new phase in game development, and we are genuinely excited to be building it with Maliyo Games and the GameUp Africa community.
The talent we encountered here, the drive and creativity of these developers, confirmed everything we hoped this partnership could deliver. We are looking forward to what comes next.”
Affirming the significance of the partnership, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Maliyo Games, Hugo Obi, emphasised: “This partnership reflects our commitment to building and nurturing talent within Africa’s growing gaming ecosystem.
