This is a cheery news for animation creators.
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with the Lagos International Festival of Animation (LIFANIMA) has announced the NOA Animation Award 2026, a new national initiative designed to celebrate Nigerian creativity, support the growing animation sector and promote national values and cultural reorientation.
The announcement was made by the Director General of the NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, during the LIFANIMA 2025 Award Night at the Alliance Française / Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos State.
The event formed part of activities marking the 9th edition of the Lagos International Festival of Animation (LIFANIMA).
Issa-Onilu said the award represents a key step in the Agency’s effort to nationalise cartoon content and entrench a distinctive Nigerian identity through creative storytelling, in line with the Nigerian Values Charter.
“The NOA Animation Award is designed to connect policy and creativity,” he explained.
“We are using animation as a tool to communicate the seven national promises and seven citizen codes that define who we are as Nigerians.”
Open exclusively to Nigerian animators, the competition invites entries around the theme “Who is a Real Nigerian?” using any of the three animation styles—2D, 3D, or Stop Motion.
Each short film presented for the competition must not exceed three minutes in length and must showcase values and character such as resilience, optimism and unity that embody the true Nigerian spirit.
The total prize value for the competition is ₦22.5 million, comprising ₦10 million for first place, ₦7.5 million for second place, and ₦5 million for third place.
The DG of NOA added that all entries are to be submitted via FilmFreeway (www.filmfreeway.com/lifanima).
The NOA delegation attended the LIFANIMA closing ceremony alongside other government representatives, including the Director-General of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Dr. Shaibu Husseini, and the DG of the Centre for Black Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC), Aisha Adamu Augie.
The trio participated in the presentation of awards to winners at the festival.
The NOA Animation Award is part of the Agency’s broader mission to use cultural expression and digital media as tools for civic reorientation and national development.
Reporting by Abiola PETERS