How African Women in Animation are Shaping Social Change

Following a week-long celebration of International Women's Month, the Afro Women in Animation Community recently held Africa's first-ever women-focused animation festival in Lagos with the goal of empowering women to overcome barriers and spur social change in the animation business.

With over 350 attendees in person and a far larger online audience, the eagerly awaited event brought together prominent female professionals and industry figures from North America, Europe, and Africa.

"The festival provided an opportunity to have impactful discussions on key issues affecting women within the space while proffering viable solutions," said Mbuotidem Johnson, the founder and CEO of Basement Animation and the organizer of the Afro Women in Animation Fest, in a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Monday.

The increasing demand for a specialized venue that honors, unites, and empowers African women in animation served as the impetus for this conference. The goals of Afro WIA Fest 2025 were to promote collaboration, mentorship, talent exhibition, and discussions about entrepreneurship, innovation, and inclusivity in the animation sector. In order to spur action and promote change, it brought together stakeholders, professionals, and up-and-coming artists from all around Africa and beyond.

"Afro women in the field must stay ahead of industry trends through ongoing learning and female collaboration rather than competition, as the animation industry is always changing."

The statement claims that this was the charge made during the event's opening panel discussion, "Breaking Barriers: Women Leading the Animation Industry."

The statement went on to say, "Comfort Arthur, Creative Producer, Blac Onyx, Omoyefe Majoroh, CEO, SMIDS Animation Studio, Damilola Solesi, Founder, The Comfy Studio, UK, and Head of Development, Basement Animation Studio, Ukpeme Uwakwe, shared inspiring personal experiences and insights on navigating leadership roles as female leaders."

They emphasized how crucial it is to have a solid, encouraging community in order to deal with the difficulties facing the sector. The speakers in the second session, "Animation for Social Change: Telling Stories That Matter," talked about how animation can influence narratives and have a positive societal impact.

The very interesting session was chaired by Vanessa Sinden, Senior Producer at Triggerfish Animation in South Africa; Omotunde Akiode, award-winning Screenwriter; Mounia Aram, Founder of the Mounia Aram Company in France; and Zainab Balami, Founder of Zazou Production Works in the UK. African animators were motivated to always embrace realism, with an emphasis on creating relatable content for African youngsters.

"Accelerate Action: Driving Change for Women Across Industries" was the subject of the last session, which addressed leadership and professional development while offering important advice for women juggling several responsibilities and establishing prosperous professions.

"For long-term advantages, panelists such as Korede Johnson, COO of Basement Animation Studio, Ikpongke Sotiloye, CEO of Five 28, Funto Ibuoye, Head Designer, Chatouiller, Mercy John-Egwu, and General Manager, HR, Prime Atlantic Limited, stressed embracing every stage of life and fostering relationships."

"Having well-organized operations and systems as a leverage for expanding and freeing up time for more core tasks was covered in the session.

The statement concluded, "The festival, which is organized in collaboration with Basement Animation, Blac Onyx, and Animation Nigeria and supported by the French Embassy and the Skills Initiative for Africa – Financial Corporation (SIFA), is thought to be a turning point for Africa’s animation industry, showcasing its potential on the global stage with women leading the charge."