By Ude Ogbonnaya Israel
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has unveiled the NOA Animation Award 2026 to celebrate Nigerian creativity and promote national values through animation.
The announcement was made by NOA Director General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, during the LIFANIMA 2025 Award Night at Alliance Française / Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Contained in a press release signed by Paul Odenyi, Deputy Director, Media and Communication of NOA, the award aims to nationalise cartoon content and entrench a recognised Nigerian identity through the promotion of the Nigerian Values Charter.
He said the initiative connects policy with creativity, using animation to highlight Nigeria’s seven national promises and citizen codes defining collective responsibility and cultural pride.
The competition, open to Nigerian animators, invites short films themed “Who is a Real Nigerian?” in 2D, 3D, or Stop Motion, with a maximum runtime of three minutes.
A total of ₦22.5 million in prizes will be awarded—₦10 million for first place, ₦7.5 million for second, and ₦5 million for third.
Winning entries will also receive three months of nationwide broadcast exposure across NOA partner networks and major television platforms after the LIFANIMA 2026 Awards Night.
Entries are to be submitted via FilmFreeway (www.filmfreeway.com/lifanima), following standard LIFANIMA procedures, with deadlines aligned to the festival’s 2026 calendar.