By Prisca Sam-Duru

In collaboration with SMIDS Animation Studios, the National theatre held Nigeria’s first-ever children’s Animation Festival, last weekend.

It was a day full of fun, learning, and creativity specially designed for children aged 8–12.

Tagged, ‘ToonTopia Fest 2025, the festival which marked the 2025 International Children’s Day, held at the Alliance Francaise/ Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi Lagos.

The children, numbering about 75, enjoyed the opportunity to create their own animated characters while exploring digital animation tools. They learned how to animate with guidance from the SMIDS’ team.

The participants also enjoyed colourful painting experience on canvas, in addition to an exciting curated selection of African animated short films, which actually preceded the workshop sessions.

The idea of an animation festival according to the General Manager/CEO, National Theatre, Mrs. Tola Akerele, was to do something a bit more meaningful that would engage the children since animation is an area of interest. “I think it’s an interesting area. So, we felt we should have this kind of festival; a day of watching animation, creating characters by drawing and also using computers. Its been a wonderful way to engage the children. And we all know that they like this digital stuff, so it’s just really good engagement for them.

“At the National Theatre, we’re always looking at ways to promote creativity. So, this is more around innovation,” Akerele stated.

Continuing she said, “One important thing is that some of these animation films like the ones screened earlier, are talking about our culture and heritage as Nigerians and Africans in general. I think for me, it’s a really exciting way to pass on our content, which children these days are interested in but they don’t know where to find it. So, this is a wonderful way for them to get that information.”

Hinting that the festival might just become an annual event, she said, “From what I’m seeing, the engagement is really good. Now people are asking whether their older children, their teens can participate. So, we’ll probably do this next year. It might be like maybe two or three days instead of a day event as we have this debut edition. It’s about thinking outside the box and doing things that are exciting enough to bring people into the space.”

Akerele also disclosed that there is a likelihood the festival would be taken all over the country noting that the “National Theatre is not just Lagos, we have other offices around the country.”

In her opening address, the Honorable Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Honorable Barrister Hanatu Musa Musawa, described the festival as a colorful, exciting event. She said, “This is a day full of fun, imagination, and magic of stories brought to life. Many well-known animators today started just like you, full of ideas, drawing in sketchbooks, making up characters or building little stories in their heads. Today, animation has become one of the most powerful ways to tell a story. It allows your dreams to walk, talk, and even fly across the screen, whether it’s a brave young hero saving a village or a silly robot learning to dance, animation shows us that anything is possible, if we imagine it.”

The Minister who was represented by Moriam Ajaga, SA to the President on Arts and Culture, office of the Honourable Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, said “You are the next generation of creators as we can see by all the drawings and paintings that you’re holding here today. You are the next generation of creators, storytellers, and dreamers. And today, as we celebrate your talent and creativity, I want you to remember this. Your stories matter. Your ideas are important. And the world is waiting to see what you will create.”

She further stated that “The Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy seeks to propel Nigeria’s animation sector forward by investing in cutting-edge tools, training, programs and creation of professional studios that empower Nigerian animators. By fostering a skilled and creative workforce, we aim to bring Nigeria’s stories to life through animation that captivates audiences, locally and globally, enriching our cultural identity and contributing to the economic prosperity of the nation. We have platforms like the Creative Leap Accelerator Program, where amongst others, animators would be empowered with the necessary skills, mentorship, funding, and access to global opportunities.”

 Speaking on why animation was the focus of the festival, CEO, SMIDS Animation, Mrs. Damilola Soleti, described animation as a powerful medium that connects very deeply with children, stressing that it goes beyond just cartoons. “Animation can be used in education, empowerment, as well as to project our culture. One thing I’m very passionate about is how we can promote our culture, and tell our stories to the next generation through animation. Having a medium like this that is very creative, colorful for children, it is important that we begin to pass who we are as a people, our language, our food, our culture, through this medium.”

As a follow up mechanism to ensure that the children perfect what they’ve learned, Soleti disclosed, “We’ve been running a two-week summer camp annually for the last eight years. ToonTopia is just a celebration and it will follow up on that.”