Film Animation and Visual Storytelling in Nigerian Digital Creative Industries

Animation has emerged as one of the fastest-growing sectors within Nigeria's digital creative industries, driven by the expansion of streaming platforms, mobile entertainment, and advertising demand for animated content. This study examines the state of film animation production and visual storytelling practice within Nigeria's digital creative sector, focusing on studios and freelance animators operating in Lagos and Abuja. A mixed-methods design is employed, combining structured questionnaires administered to 60 animation professionals with case study analysis of five animated productions completed between 2021 and 2024. The study assesses the animation techniques employed, the software tools in use, the types of stories and cultural content produced, the business models sustaining studios, and the challenges of international market access. The theoretical framework draws on the creative industries literature, digital art theory, and the Nollywood studies scholarship that has increasingly addressed animation as a distinct creative field. The study examines whether Nigerian animation is developing a distinctive visual identity rooted in indigenous visual art traditions or converging toward the technical and aesthetic conventions of globally dominant animation industries. The role of the Lagos Creative Hub and government creative economy support programmes in sustaining the sector is evaluated. Recent literature has identified talent development, software access, and distribution infrastructure as the primary constraints on the sector's growth. Findings are intended for the Creative Industry Financing Initiative, fine arts educators, and digital content policy advocates. Keywords: animation, digital creative industries, Nigeria, visual storytelling, Lagos