Illustration and Visual Narrative in Nigerian Editorial Media

Editorial illustration occupies a significant professional and artistic space within Nigerian media, contributing visual interpretation, commentary, and visual interest to print and digital journalism, magazines, and online publications. This study examines illustration practice and visual narrative in Nigerian editorial media, focusing on the work of illustrators contributing to print publications and digital editorial platforms in Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Enugu. Primary data are gathered from 25 editorial illustrators, 15 art directors or editorial design managers, and content analysis of 200 editorial illustrations published between 2021 and 2024. The study evaluates illustration styles employed, the range of subjects and narratives addressed, the relationship between illustration briefs and artistic execution, and the professional conditions including rates of pay, copyright ownership, and creative autonomy experienced by illustrators. The theoretical framework draws on visual communication theory, the professional practice literature for illustrators, and the media studies scholarship on visual journalism. The study examines whether editorial illustration in Nigeria is developing a distinctive national visual vocabulary or replicating the conventions of international editorial illustration traditions. The geographic spread of the study acknowledges regional differences in publication industry culture and the types of editorial content that dominate each market. Recent literature has identified editorial illustration as an underresearched field in Nigerian art studies despite its significant presence in public visual culture. Findings are intended for publication art directors, illustration educators, and professional associations for Nigerian visual communicators. Keywords: editorial illustration, visual narrative, Nigerian media, professional practice, visual communication