Nigeria’s Comic Industry And The Role of The Lagos Comic Con

The Nigerian creative industry is experiencing a leap on several fronts, but the comic/animation sub sector is in dire need of a push in order to grow. The local comic/animation industry can be likened to a pretty damsel in the corner of the room no one seems to be noticing. It has massive potentials in terms of GDP expansion, providing employment opportunities and decent return on investment.

When we consider comics/animation, the targeted age group is usually between age 5 and 30 or even older. However, a simple industry expert eye survey puts the percentage level of local content awareness at 15–20 %. This implies the percentage of Nigerians in that age group who are aware of local comics and patronize them. The rest of the population only know of foreign comic contents or do not recognize some of the local ones as such.

Here Is The Major Challenge For Nigeria’s Comics Industry

It is no doubt that there is a huge follower-ship of comic/animation in Nigeria. So the question of attracting readership does not arise. The question that arises however is, how do we make Nigerian comic/animation fans to take notice of the local comic/animation? How would we make them begin to appreciate it and esteem our local content as highly as they do the foreign ones? The success of local comic books/animation like E.X.O (which has just gone into animation), Guardian Prime and animations like B.O.L.A, House of Ajebo, OurOwnArea etc. has proven that if the quality is good and publicity is right, then the market with respond positively. PR and quality however require good funding.

Funding can only come from interested investors. Investors don’t get interested until they understand the industry and are convinced of the potentials therein. As far as quality of production is concerned, given some latest works out there like Vantage, Strike Guard, New Born etc, one can safely say we are nearing top notch. This credit however can be attributed to a talent pool that is on steroids. To get our works at par with global standards, local comic makers/animator creators would need equipment and tools that are high end. This again leads us back to the point in the preceding paragraph. Investment and funding.

The Role Of The Lagos Comic Con

This is where the Lagos Comic Con comes in. The annual Lagos Comic Con plays a crucial role in helping comic/animation makers/creators find a market. The conference is developed to bring people from all walks of life together under one roof. It is therefore an excellent opportunity to reach new comic enthusiasts and even people who had hitherto not made up their minds about comics/animation.

• Creating Awareness: Lagos Comic Con importantly creates awareness of comics and animation made in Nigeria in the minds of the general public. This ensures that they begin to pay attention to what is being produced locally. In the build up to each event, the publicity is stepped up and spread out to cover comics and other related industries. This increases public awareness in an unprecedented manner.
• Rewarding Excellence: Lagos Comic Con also goes a long way in encouraging hard work and rewarding excellence among industry players. One way it does this is by giving the Comic Panel Award. This gesture at the least assures comic makers, both winners and others, that people take notice of their hard work, successes and advancement. One result we take from this is the improved quality we observe year after year from comic makers and animation creators.
• Collaboration: There is also a priceless opportunity of networking with other comic makers and related professionals at the Lagos Comic Con. The convention provides a platform that supports smooth interaction and mutual respect amongst comic makers.

Most importantly, the Lagos Comic Con promotes the potentials of the Nigerian comic/animation industry to potential investors and government. Since it is a gathering of the best the comic industry has to offer, prospective investors in attendance are able to have all their questions answered. This will help them make informed investment decisions.

The Nigerian comic/animation industry currently has a fairly formidable glass ceiling to break and Lagos Comic Con is out to rally more useful hands to accomplish that. Find out more about the 2016 event here.