In a significant milestone for African game development, Pan-African studio Maliyo Games has gained global recognition as Apple Inc. featured three of its titles in this year’s Africa Day App Store celebration.
The disclosure was made in a statement on Wednesday, highlighting Maliyo Games’ role in shaping culturally relevant gaming experiences from the continent.
As part of Apple’s annual editorial celebrating African innovation across apps, games, music, and film, Maliyo’s Crazy Ludo, Safari City, and Whot King were handpicked and showcased with exclusive Africa Day-themed updates. These updates were created by local talent trained through Maliyo’s flagship GameUp Africa initiative.
The Africa Day editions of the three games became available on May 21, 2025, on both the App Store and Google Play.
“This recognition from Apple is a huge moment for us and for African game development as a whole,” said Founder of Maliyo Games, Hugo Obi.
He added, “It validates the years of hard work by our amazing team across the continent. We’re proud to tell African stories through our games, built by African developers, for a global audience.”
Obi explained that each of the spotlighted titles brings African themes, artistry, and storytelling to life. He described Crazy Ludo as a reimagining of the timeless board game, enhanced with African power-ups, dynamic daily missions, and exclusive Africa Day tournaments. The latest update features in-game art inspired by traditional African design motifs.
Safari City combines match-3 puzzle gameplay with city-building, allowing players to construct African homes and neighbourhoods. The update introduces new character stories such as Mama Gold, refreshed interfaces, and architecture inspired by real-world African landmarks.
Meanwhile, Whot King, Maliyo’s digital version of the beloved Nigerian card game, now includes a new Africa Day Challenge, a multi-city tournament where players compete with heritage-inspired card decks across iconic African locations.
Founded in Lagos in 2012, Maliyo Games has become a cultural ambassador through gaming. Obi expressed delight that the studio’s selection for Apple’s Africa Day App Store celebration shines a spotlight on Africa’s mobile-first gaming future and the creative power of African talent.
“At the heart of this growth is GameUp Africa, Maliyo’s developer training program launched in 2021. With over 6,000 applicants to date, the initiative has become a pipeline for nurturing young African developers, many of whom worked on the featured games and Maliyo’s collaboration with Disney on Iwájú: Rising Chef,” Obi said.
He added that Maliyo’s inclusion in Apple’s Africa Day feature follows a broader trend of rising interest in African gaming.
A recent KPMG report revealed that the continent’s gaming industry generated over $1bn in revenue last year, cementing its place within Africa’s creative economy.
“The future of gaming is diverse, inclusive, and global, and Africa is a big part of that story,” Obi concluded. “We’re building games that reflect our culture, our stories, and our people. This is just the beginning.”
