Mai Shayi Coffee is emerging as a key player in Nigeria’s growing speciality coffee movement, blending heritage with modern production to rebuild the country’s coffee value chain.
Mai Shayi Coffee drives Nigeria’s growing coffee renaissance
Founded in 2019 by Ibrahim Samande, the company takes its name from the Hausa phrase Mai Shayi, meaning “tea brewer,” a cultural symbol associated with hospitality, community, and shared conversation across West Africa. The brand draws on this tradition while repositioning Nigerian coffee for contemporary cafés and global markets.
Mai Shayi Coffee operates an integrated “soil-to-cup” model, covering farming, processing, roasting, and retail. Its coffee is sourced primarily from the highlands of Jos, where altitude and climate support Arabica cultivation.
Through the Mai Shayi Coffee Cooperative Society, the company partners with smallholder farmers, offering training, access to finance, quality inputs, and guaranteed markets.
The company has invested in modern infrastructure, including a Pinhalense coffee processing plant and a tissue culture and hydroponics laboratory focused on Arabica development. These facilities are designed to improve yields, consistency, and long-term sustainability.
Mai Shayi Coffee also operates a flagship café and roastery in Asokoro, alongside a Lagos outlet, supplying roasted coffee to cafés, hotels, and corporate clients nationwide.
The company says its goal is to position Nigeria as a serious contender in Africa’s speciality coffee landscape while creating economic opportunities along the value chain.
