Frame Fest Abuja 2025 delivered a celebration of comics, animation, and storytelling on November 22, 2025, drawing creators, fans, and industry voices to Evelyn’s Event & Recreational Centre in Gwarinpa. The one-day festival reaffirmed Abuja’s growing presence in Nigeria’s creative landscape, offering a mix of premieres, panel sessions, competitions, performances, and industry recognitions.

The festival opened with the premiere of A Gentle Push, an animated short that set the tone for a day dedicated to creative expression. This transitioned into the first panel session, “The Art of Storytelling,” where the speakers, including digital strategist Sewedo Nupowaku, Illustrator Blessing Ossom, animator Chiemelu Uzochukwu, and digital creator Sylvester Abba, explored how African creators can craft and promote narratives that resonate globally. They emphasised relatability, unpredictability, and creative boldness, while also stressing the importance of understanding the business of content creation. Panellists called for stronger collaboration with government agencies and private stakeholders to fund and sustain local creative projects.

A second panel session shifted focus to the art of adaptation, examining how comics, books, and written stories can be transformed into films and animations. Speakers, including Ibrahim Ganiyu of ICStudios, Erivic Adedayo of Comic Con Ibadan, Ayodele Elegba of Spoof Animations, and Taiwo Ogunde, a filmmaker, highlighted the value of strong story foundations, creator collaborations, and intentional audience engagement, factors they noted are essential to successful screen adaptations.

The festival buzzed with competitive energy across multiple contests. Young illustrators took the stage for the Kids’ Comic Page Art Competition, presenting four-panel comic stories they created during the event. The Storytelling Competition drew a range of entries, with winners scheduled for announcement after judging. Meanwhile, the FIFA Gaming Tournament ignited the hall with excitement, culminating in a single winner after several intense rounds.

Stage performances added theatrical flair to the event. Jele, the spirited character from Mmanwu, delivered a lively act that thrilled attendees, while the stage play The Rift brought dramatic storytelling to life.

One of the festival’s major highlights was the official launch of three new Nigerian comic titles: Ogo: Between Worlds, Achuba, and Hounds & Jackals. Copies were made available for purchase, drawing strong interest from guests eager to support fresh storytelling.

Frame Fest Abuja 2025 also paused to honour two creative pioneers whose work has shaped the country’s comic and animation industries. Ibrahim Ganiyu (popularly known as SirGai), creative director at ICStudios, and Ayodele Elegba, CEO of Spoof Animation, received honorary awards for their contributions to the growth of the ecosystem.

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