Keyede Heidel-Ajakaiye Calls for Sustained Investment to Grow African Animation
- Keyede Heidel-Ajakaiye highlighted that Africa’s animation sector had immense talent but struggled due to limited funding and support
- She launched The Colored Anime Foundation in 2024 to back emerging animators and sponsored AFRIFF’s animation category for two consecutive years
- Heidel-Ajakaiye urged government and private investors to recognise animation’s economic and cultural potential
A Nigerian-raised visual artist based in Canada, Keyede Heidel-Ajakaiye, has said the future of animation in Africa is bright but will only flourish with sustained investment, strategic support and long-term commitment to creators across the continent.
Speaking on her expanding role within Africa’s creative ecosystem, Heidel-Ajakaiye noted that while young African animators possess immense talent, limited access to funding, training and encouragement continues to slow the sector’s growth.
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“There are Africans, and specifically Nigerians, who are deeply interested in animation,” she said. “What many of them need is support and encouragement to help their talent thrive.”
Foundation drives support for emerging animators
Heidel-Ajakaiye is the founder of The Colored Anime Foundation, established in 2024 to support emerging African animators and amplify indigenous storytelling through animation.
The foundation has gained increased visibility through its partnership with the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), where it has sponsored the animation category for the second consecutive year.
Through the collaboration, the foundation provides cash prizes and skills development opportunities for winners, a combination Heidel-Ajakaiye described as critical to building sustainable creative careers.
“I wanted to see if I could come in and offer support in my own little way, beyond just financial rewards,” she said.
Animation seen as tool for cultural storytelling
According to Heidel-Ajakaiye, animation offers Africa a powerful medium for preserving culture, reinterpreting history and connecting generations through visual storytelling.
“African storytelling is a space that hasn’t really been tapped into,” she said. “Other cultures draw deeply from their history in animation. We have that depth too, but we haven’t zoomed into it enough.”
She added that animation can bridge generational gaps, appealing to both children and adults when stories reflect African identity and lived experiences.
Call for government and private sector investment
Heidel-Ajakaiye stressed that meaningful growth in the animation sector would require more than talent alone, urging both government and private investors to recognise animation as a viable creative industry.
“Either government or private investors can lead, but they must see the potential and understand where it can go,” she said. “Without investment, even the most talented creators will struggle.”
She noted that animation has the capacity to generate jobs, expand cultural influence and contribute significantly to economic growth if properly supported.
Technical excellence key to audience engagement
Highlighting what distinguishes successful animation, Heidel-Ajakaiye emphasised the importance of strong storytelling and high-quality audio production.
“If the story is great but the audio is poor, it takes people out of the experience,” she said. “And if the audio is strong but the storytelling isn’t, it still won’t work.”
She also pointed to music, particularly Afrobeat, as a powerful tool for conveying emotion and enriching animated narratives.
Optimism as recognition grows
While acknowledging that progress will not happen overnight, Heidel-Ajakaiye expressed optimism about the growing recognition of animation within Africa’s creative and film spaces.
“When I see how excited people are that there is now a category for animation, it makes me happy,” she said. “It helps creatives feel seen and encouraged to keep going.”
Past beneficiaries of the foundation’s AFRIFF sponsorship include Dami Solesi of Smids Animation Studios and Adeoye Adetunji of 2thpick Art, winners of the best animation awards in 2024 and 2025 respectively.
As Nigeria positions itself as a hub for Africa’s creative economy, Heidel-Ajakaiye’s advocacy adds to increasing calls for structured investment in animation as a tool for cultural preservation, youth empowerment and global storytelling.
Source: Legit.ng
