The Lion of Gwoza, a stop-motion animation by Adeoye Adetunji, has emerged the overall winner of the National Orientation Agency’s (NOA) Animation Award, clinching the ₦10 million first prize at the 10th anniversary edition of LIFANIMA – Nigeria’s Animation Festival.
The film also won the Stop Motion Animation category at LIFANIMA 2026, making it a double winner at the festival, which formally announced the winners of both the LIFANIMA awards and the NOA Animation Award on Thursday October 22.
The 10th anniversary edition, celebrated under the theme “10 Years of Animation, 10 Years of Impact,” brought together outstanding works and creative talents, highlighting the growing contribution of animation to Nigeria’s cultural expression, creative economy and national development.
L-R: Mr Paul Odenyi – Deputy Director Communication and Media; Mallam Bala Musa – Director Communication and Media; Mr Tukur Mustafa Adedeji – Lagos state Director; Mr David Akoji – Director Special Duties and State Operations (Representing the Director-General); NOA Animation Award First Prize Winner, Adeoye Adetunji; Mr Kenneth Onyejepu – Director Procurement; Mallam Haruna Sule – Director Finance and Account, at the Award Presentation of the LIFANIMA and NOA Animation Awards
The NOA Animation Award, under the theme “Who Is a Real Nigerian?”, challenged animators to explore Nigerian identity, citizenship and shared national values through the medium of animation.
The three winners, announced at the LIFANIMA 2026 festival, are:
1st Position — ₦10 Million
The Lion of Gwoza
By Adeoye Adetunji
2nd Position — ₦7.5 Million
What Makes a Real Nigerian?
By Oluwatooniloba Odunuga
3rd Position — ₦5 Million
Those Who Don’t Stop
By Oluwasegun Joseph
They all shared a total of ₦22.5 million in cash prizes.
According to the organisers, the award demonstrates the potential of animation to communicate important national messages, engage younger audiences and inspire conversations about citizenship, unity and the values that bind Nigerians together.
Muyiwa Kayode, Founder and Festival Director, LIFANIMA- Nigeria’s Animation Festival
LIFANIMA 2026 Celebrated Excellence Across Five Categories.
In addition to the NOA Animation Award, the festival also recognised outstanding creative achievements across five categories:
3D Animation Winner: Uniquely Me — Ayodele Elegba
2D Animation Winner: Kainji — Kaydina Esor and Damilola Solesi
Stop Motion Animation Winner: The Lion of Gwoza — Adeoye Adetunji
Animation Commercial Winner: Keep Nigeria Clean — Oluwatoyin Adeosun
Visual Effects Winner: New Beginning — Temitope Falase
The winning entries showcase the breadth of Nigerian animation talent, from imaginative storytelling and character development to commercial communication and technical innovation.
Established in 2016, LIFANIMA has spent a decade providing a platform for animation filmmakers, nurturing emerging talent and promoting the growth of Nigeria’s animation industry.
Its 10th anniversary edition celebrates this journey while looking towards the next phase of development for Nigerian and African animation.
The festival’s programme has highlighted innovation in creative technology, animation skills development, the creative economy and the role of animation in preserving African cultural heritage.
The announcement of the NOA Animation Award winners at the festival also marks an important intersection between animation, public education and national orientation.
By using creative storytelling to explore the question of what it means to be a real Nigerian, the award recognises animation’s capacity to make national conversations accessible and engaging, particularly for children and young people.
Speaking on the milestone.
Muyiwa Kayode, Founder and Festival Director of LIFANIMA, said:
“Ten years of LIFANIMA represents ten years of championing animation as an art form, a business and a powerful instrument for cultural expression and social impact. This festival is about recognising the extraordinary talent within the animation community and the opportunities ahead.
Director-General of National Orientation Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu
“We congratulate all our winners, especially Adeoye Adetunji for the remarkable double recognition of The Lion of Gwoza. The formal announcement of the NOA Animation Award winners at LIFANIMA demonstrates how animation can contribute meaningfully to national conversations while creating opportunities for our creative talents.”
The festival reaffirmed its commitment to building a stronger animation ecosystem in Nigeria, expanding opportunities for creators and supporting the development of locally produced intellectual property capable of reaching audiences across Africa and around the world.
