Nigeria’s animation community has a new stage and it’s built for visibility, growth, and storytelling.
AnimateNG has officially launched the AnimateNG Monthly Animation Contest, a recurring creative challenge designed to discover, promote, and celebrate animators across the country.
The initiative invites Nigerian animators beginners, intermediates, and professionals alike to create short, original animations inspired by a new theme each month.
With a strong focus on creativity and craft, the contest aims to nurture talent while strengthening Nigeria’s growing animation ecosystem.
A Platform for Nigerian Stories in Motion
Each month, AnimateNG releases a theme that reflects shared experiences, ideas, or social realities, encouraging animators to interpret it in their own style.
Submissions must be between 10 and 15 seconds, pushing creators to tell powerful stories within a tight, impactful format.
All animation styles are welcome, including 2D, 3D, motion graphics, stop-motion, and experimental techniques.
However, the competition maintains a clear standard: AI-generated animations are not allowed, ensuring the spotlight remains on human creativity and skill.
January 2026 Theme: “The Hustle”
For its January 2026 edition, the contest theme is “The Hustle.” Animators are invited to explore stories of ambition, resilience, survival, and everyday grind through personal lenses and unique visual approaches.
It’s a theme deeply rooted in lived Nigerian realities, offering room for both subtle storytelling and bold expression.
How to Enter
Participation is straightforward and social-first:
- Create a 10–15 second animation inspired by the monthly theme
- Post the animation on Instagram
- Tag @animate_ng
- Use the hashtag #AnimateNG001
- Ensure your Instagram account is public
- Submit before January 25, 2026
Entries that fall outside the time limit, involve plagiarism, use AI-generated content, or engage in fraudulent voting will be disqualified.
Judging, Voting, and Rewards
AnimateNG will curate a Top 5 shortlist each month based on creativity, animation quality, and how well the theme is interpreted.
These finalists will be featured on the AnimateNG page, after which the final winner will be decided by public vote.
The winning animator takes home a ₦50,000 cash prize, along with a featured creator spotlight and product showcase on AnimateNG an opportunity that can significantly boost visibility within and beyond the animation community.
More Than a Contest
At its core, the AnimateNG Monthly Animation Contest is about more than prizes.
It’s about building a connected Nigerian animation community, creating space for emerging voices, and giving animators a reason to consistently practice, share, and grow.
For updates on monthly themes, submission deadlines, and winner announcements, animators are encouraged to follow @animate_ng on Instagram.