Maryam Yakubu Yanah is the Founder and CEO of Mainstream Lime-Light Ltd ( *Producers of Ma’Zaine Foods* ), an agro-processing company committed to producing and packaging a variety of ready-to-cook foods as well as other agricultural products such as Finger Millet Flour, Date Powder, Tigernut Powder, Lactation Pap, Baobab Fruit Powder, Sweet Potato Flour, Onion Powder and Shea Butter.

Maryam’s food processing drive was motivated by her realization of the large number of people living with health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, nursing mothers who are unable to lactate after delivery and malnourished children. Her products are locally sourced from Nigerian farmers, hygienically processed and completely free from any form of additive such as preservatives, artificial coloring and flavoring.
She was honored with the SensXAfrica Impact Xchamp award due to her contribution to the agricultural sector in Nigeria. She also got a Meritorious Award by ‘Portfolio 9 (Community)’, a digital entrepreneurship and empowerment platform.
A unique feature of Maryam’s company is the ability to diversify and provide exclusive services for a variety of customer needs and demands. She believes that taking on the task of the exacting procedures of processing and pre-preparing local foods on behalf of consumers has encouraged patronage of the easier and healthy alternatives her company offers.
Maryam is committed to empowering women and youths. For instance, in February 2021 alone, on social media, she coached over 7000 women and youths on how to make tomato paste that can last a year without refrigeration, for free. Presently, some of the beneficiaries of the coaching are earning from the knowledge they garnered. She also sponsored the fish farming business of some women aside her other impacting undertakings.
She currently serves as the Kebbi, Nigeria’s representative of ‘ACT4Food Act4Change’, a global youth-led movement promising to ignite a campaign action to combat hunger, improve health and heal the planet. She is a passionate advocate of the cause.
Maryam’s dedication has blossomed into a thriving business locally, she is therefore poised to offer her products globally and has registered with relevant organisations for exportation. She is also a member of strategic associations such as National Association of Small Medium Enterprise, Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists, National Coconut Producers Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, Association of Cottage Industrialists of Nigeria, National Shea Products Association of Nigeria, Kebbi Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture, and the Association of Northern Women Entrepreneurs.