The National Orientation Agency (NOA), in partnership with LIFANIMA – the Nigerian Animation Festival, has opened entries for the NOA Animation Award, offering Nigerian animators the opportunity to win a total prize of N22.5 million to be awarded to the top three entries in the category.
The NOA Animation Award is a national initiative designed to encourage creativity, storytelling, and innovation within Nigeria’s growing animation industry.
Open exclusively to Nigerians, the award seeks to promote the production of authentic local content that reflects Nigerian values, culture, identity, and lived experiences through animation.
Entries submitted for the NOA Animation Award must be based on the theme: “What Makes a Real Nigerian”?
According to the organisers, entries for this category must:
● Be created by Nigerians only
● Have a maximum runtime of three minutes
● Be produced in 2D, 3D, or Stop Motion animation.
NOA and LIFANIMA said that the initiative is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s animation ecosystem by encouraging locally produced stories that celebrate its culture, values, and social ideals.
The award supports homegrown talent, fosters youth engagement in creative industries, and positions animation as a powerful tool for national orientation, cultural preservation, and global storytelling from a Nigerian perspective.
● Each submission must clearly indicate the category under which it is entered.
● Entries must be submitted individually.
● Submissions must include a content rating: G, PG, PG-13, or 18.
● Films produced in languages other than English must include English subtitles.
LIFANIMA Award itself features six competitive categories:
● Best 2D Animation Short
● Best 3D Animation Short
● Best Animation Commercial
● Best Visual Effects
● Best Stop Motion Animation
● NOA Animation Award
Films should preferably be submitted in MP4 HD format (1920 x 1080p).
Awards will be presented in all six categories. The decisions of the jury are final, according to the organisers.
The deadline for all submissions is 3 July 2026.
Entries are accepted exclusively via FilmFreeway at: www.filmfreeway.com/lifanima
