In a vibrant celebration of creativity and culture, over 70 children gathered at Alliance Francaise, Lagos, for Nigeria’s inaugural Toontopia Animation Festival, held on Saturday, May 24, 2025. The pioneering event marked a new chapter in local creative education, aiming to enhance storytelling skills and spark imaginative growth among young minds, in alignment with Children’s Day celebrations.

In a heartfelt speech that resonated with both children and adults, a representative of the Honourable Minister for Arts and Culture set the tone for the day’s events with a message of encouragement and joyful expression.

“This festival is not just about watching cartoons,” she said. “It’s about learning, sharing, and believing in yourself. So I encourage all of you to draw, write, play, and don’t be afraid to be silly sometimes. That’s how the best stories are born. To the wonderful organisers, artists, teachers, and especially the parents, thank you for supporting these young minds. And to every child here, keep dreaming, keep drawing, and keep being you.”

Toontopia 2025, Nigeria’s first-ever children’s animation festival, was hosted by the National Theatre in collaboration with SMIDS Animation Studios. The one-day festival offered a dynamic space where children aged 8 to 12 stepped into a living classroom and creative playground.

From hands-on animation workshops to guided sip-and-paint sessions, every activity was tailored to spark both learning and fun. Children were allowed to creatively express their personal and cultural narratives through animation, transforming rich oral traditions into visual storytelling. Through their work, they explored identity, heritage, and values in a format that felt both modern and magical.

According to SMIDS Animation, the vision behind Toontopia is to ignite confidence and creativity in African children through storytelling and animation as tools of empowerment. “We want them to know their stories matter,” said one of the organisers. “That their ideas are valid, and their culture is rich enough to inspire worlds.”

The event also featured screenings of family-friendly African animated films, including Supa Sema, Belly Flop, and SMIDS Animation’s award-winning short film Hadu — a heartwarming tale in which a young girl named Simi rediscovers her grandmother’s cherished recipe, connecting to her cultural roots.

With strong support from beloved family brands like Chivita, Toontopia 2025 demonstrated a growing national commitment to nurturing Nigeria’s creative industries, starting with its youngest talents. For many, the event was far more than a festive outing; it was a glimpse into a future where African children  

Sources: TVC News, TheACE