Over the past ten years, Nigeria’s creative scene has grown a lot. It’s now one of the country’s fastest-growing parts.
From movies made in Nollywood to the upbeat tunes of Afrobeats, Nigeria is making its mark around the world. It shares its stories and talents with everyone.
Now, something new is happening. Animation is becoming a big deal in Nigeria!
Even though it’s just starting, Nigeria’s animation is picking up pace. Like Nigerian music and movies that talk about real African stories, animators are telling great tales from local folklore and history.
Using 2D and 3D animation, Nigerian studios are not only entertaining people but also keeping cultural stories alive.
Animators are making cartoons for kids, but they’re also retelling African stories for everyone around the world. Soon, just like Nollywood, Nigerian animations will share Africa’s culture through eye-catching cartoons.
The leaders of these animation companies want everyone in the world to see Nigeria’s culture. They want to give Nigerian and other kids content that shows their roots.
Niyi Akinmolayan – Founder of Anthill Studios
Niyi Akinmolayan runs Anthill Studios. It is one of Nigeria’s top places for making movies and animations. With more than 15 years of helping the Nigerian entertainment world, Niyi has done a lot of directing and producing.
In 2022, Niyi made a great deal with Amazon Prime Video. This made Anthill Studios the second Nigerian studio with such a big agreement.
Anthill Studios is known for being creative. They make short cartoons every year. Their big project, Mikolo, had a huge budget of N120 million. Niyi wants to show African culture with excellent storytelling.
Before making Anthill Studios in 2009, Niyi worked at Genesis Studios, making TV ads and music videos. He also helped with making effects for movies.
Niyi studied Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Yaba College of Technology and did very well.
Roye Okupe – Founder of YouNeek Studios
Roye Okupe loves comics and cartoons. In 2015, he started YouNeek Studios.
He wants to make stories with superheroes that show African culture. People liked his works like “Malika – Warrior Queen” and the novel “E.X.O. The Legend of Wale Williams,” set in Lagos.
In 2020, “Malika – Warrior Queen” won a big comic award. He also has a big deal with Dark Horse Comics and got many recognitions like from CNN and Forbes.
Recently, Cartoon Network announced all-Nigerian voices for the show “Iyanu: Child of Wonder,” based on Roye’s books.
The voices in the show include famous TV person Okey Jude and Nollywood stars like Adesua Etomi-Wellington and Blossom Chukwujekwu.
Johnson Mbuotidem – Founder of Basement Animation Studios
Johnson Mbuotidem is a big name in Africa’s animation world. He has over 16 years of experience. He makes and directs at Basement Animation, a busy studio in Lagos.
He joined the International Emmy Awards as a member in June 2023.
He leads the African Animation Network and started Animation Nigeria to set standards for Nigerian animations. His education in the UK and his work in other areas helped him become very skilled.
Damilola Solesi – SMID Animation Studios
Damilola Solesi is the leader of SMIDS Animation Studios. She began this journey in 2010.
SMIDS is highly thought of across Africa, creating 3D cartoons for various clients. Their TV show, The Makerbolts, became a finalist in the Annecy Animation competition.
Solesi served as a judge for the International Emmy Awards and is part of Animation Nigeria. She was a Mandela Washington Fellow and studied computer science.
She furthered her skills with a Certificate in Entrepreneurial Management. In 2015, she went to Clark Atlanta University to expand her business knowledge.
Ayodele Elegba – Founder of Spoof Animation
Ayodele Elegba has been a leader in Nigeria’s animation for over ten years.
He started the RENDACON Animation Film Festival and founded Spoof Animation in 2015. Spoof Animation is Nigeria’s most important 2D animation company.
He is also known for creating Lagos Comic Con in 2011. Ayodele also runs Mustardseed Communication International. He studied Public Relations and Microbiology and has a lot of knowledge in different areas.
Ferdinand Adimefe – Co-Founder of Magic Carpet Studios
Ferdinand Adimefe started Magic Carpet Studios. It’s an important creative company he’s been leading for over seven years.
He works with the Creative Nigeria Project to help artists connect their ideas with money. He won the UN Innovation Challenge in 2022 for his work in new storytelling through VR and augmented reality.
Adimefe also started Imaginarium HQ, a tech platform. He learned many things while studying Media, Business, and other subjects.
Ferdinand co-founded GOTNI and helps run Slum to School Africa.
Brian Ola Wilson – Founder of Zero Gravity Studios
Brian Ola Wilson is great at animation with over ten years of experience.
In 2021, he won the Digital Lab Africa award for his project “Aminah’s Journey.” He previously worked at GTBank and launched the Art635 initiative to promote African art.
Brian deeply cares about Nigerian animation. He co-founded Animation Nigeria in 2017 to improve standards in the industry. Brian studied 3D Animation and Film Direction in top colleges.
Now leading Zero Gravity Studios, Brian pushes the boundaries of animation and creative ideas.
Note: The people in this list were chosen by experts at Newslodge. None of them asked to be included. The list might grow as more contributions are recognized in Nigeria’s animation field. Any feedback is welcome.