The African animation industry, long celebrated for its creativity, cultural depth, and storytelling potential, needs sustained investment and structural support to thrive, according to animation veteran Keyede Heidel-Ajakaiye. In a series of recent discussions with Nigerian media outlets, Ajakaiye emphasized that while African animation has immense promise, financial backing, institutional frameworks, and developmental pathways are critical for the sector to reach its full potential both locally and globally.
Ajakaiye’s message comes at a moment when animation is rapidly gaining visibility in Africa through independent studios, educational initiatives, and festival circuits, but still struggles with funding, infrastructure, and market access.
A Growing Industry With Real Challenges
During interviews with several Nigerian news platforms, including Punch and The Sun, Ajakaiye spoke about the mixed reality facing African animators: creative talent abounds, yet financial and institutional support remains limited. According to her, many studios operate largely on passion and self-funding, which makes long-term planning and scalable production difficult.
“African animation can compete globally,” Ajakaiye said, “but we need the right support systems, from investment to education and effective distribution pathways.”
She pointed out that while local stories and cultural perspectives give African animation a unique edge, without structured funding, mentorship programs, and distribution channels, the industry’s growth will continue to lag behind global counterparts.
The Economic Case for Animation
Ajakaiye’s call is not just cultural, it’s economic. Animation is a multi-billion-dollar industry worldwide, driving not only entertainment but also opportunities in advertising, gaming, simulation, education, and mobile apps. With Africa’s youthful demographic and growing digital penetration, the continent represents a major untapped market for animated content and related industries.
In her discussions, Ajakaiye stressed that strategic investment in animation could catalyze:
- Job creation for animators, designers, storytellers, and technical artists
- Skill development across digital media disciplines
- Cultural export of African narratives and intellectual property (IP)
- Revenue generation through global distribution and licensing deals
- Expansion of related sectors like gaming, VFX, and edutainment
“African animation isn’t just about cartoons,” Ajakaiye remarked. “It’s a creative engine that can power economies, inspire global audiences, and offer sustainable careers if incubated correctly.”
Foundations and Education as Pillars of Growth
Ajakaiye points to education and structured development as fundamental pillars for industry growth. In past initiatives, she has worked on building pathways for young creatives to access training, mentorship, and networking, connecting talent to industry professionals both within Africa and abroad.
According to reports, part of the ongoing advocacy has been about integrating animation into more formal creative curricula, establishing studios with mentorship frameworks, and encouraging both private and public entities to sponsor talent development programs.
In her view, institutions that can pair investment with education, such as animation foundations, studios, and media houses, will be the ones driving Africa’s animation renaissance.
Distribution and Global Visibility
Ajakaiye also highlighted that for African animation to flourish, creators need access to distribution platforms that can take their stories to international audiences. While homegrown platforms and occasional festival successes have helped build momentum, consistent distribution deals with global networks and streaming services remain limited.
“Stories from Africa are compelling,” she said. “But we need the infrastructure to take them from local screens to global households.”
This means not only producing high-quality content but also negotiating revenue-sharing deals, securing international partnerships, and creating syndication pathways that allow African animation IP to be monetised sustainably.
The timing of Ajakaiye’s call for investment aligns with broader conversations about Africa’s creative economy. With sectors like music, film, and fashion already making waves globally, animation represents the next frontier, one that can synthesize storytelling, technology, and cultural representation in ways that resonate with global audiences.
As digital content continues to democratize access to entertainment worldwide, African studios have the chance to:
- Tell stories rooted in African cultures and perspectives
- Build franchises with pan-African and global appeal
- Leverage mobile and web platforms to reach new audiences
- Create ecosystems where creatives are supported, not isolated
For a continent with one of the youngest populations on the planet and rapidly expanding tech adoption, animation could be a key growth area for creative entrepreneurship and economic diversification.
What part of African animation excites you the most, storytelling, character design, cultural themes, or technology integration? Do you think it’s time governments and studios invest more heavily in animation training and infrastructure? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!