NigeriaNigeria.

A short history you can leaf through. Click a page, use the arrow keys, or press Turn the page to read on.

1. 1944

   to 1974

   Chapter 01

   Press cartoons and imported comics

   Akinola Lasekan drew cartoons for the West African Pilot from 1944 to 1966. African Film, a photo comic made by Drum Publications of South Africa, ran from 1968 to 1972 and starred the secret agent Lance Spearman. Powerman, a British-made series drawn by Dave Gibbons and Brian Bolland, was sold in Nigeria from the mid 1970s.

2. 1975

   to 2014

   Chapter 02

   Home-grown humour comics and newspaper strips

   Wale Adenuga launched Ikebe Super in 1975, and its star Papa Ajasco became a 1983 film and later a television comedy. Josy Ajiboye drew for the Daily Times from 1971 to 2000, and Dele Jegede used his weekly strip Kole Omole to poke fun at military rule after his return to Nigeria in 1983. Tayo Fatunla, raised in Lagos, started the history strip Our Roots in London in 1989.

3. 2015

   to today

   Chapter 03

   Digital studios and global deals

   YouNeek Studios released E.X.O.: The Legend of Wale Williams on 31 August 2015. Comic Republic, a Lagos-based digital publisher built around the hero Guardian Prime, was featured by CNN in November 2016. Nigerian titles have appeared on the Nommo Awards graphic novel lists since 2017, Okupe signed with Dark Horse in 2021, and Murewa Ayodele began writing Marvel's Storm in 2024.

• African Film1968 · comics magazineDrum Publications. Photo comic magazine starring Lance Spearman, published until 1972.
• Powerman1975 · comic book seriesDonne Avenell, Norman Worker, Dave Gibbons and Brian Bolland. British-made superhero series sold in Nigeria.
• Ikebe Super1975 · comic book seriesWale Adenuga. Humour comic that introduced Papa Ajasco.
• Kole Omolecomic stripDele Jegede. Weekly strip about a clever five-year-old boy, used to mock military rule.
• Our Roots1989 · comic stripTayo Fatunla. Educational comic on Black history, still running.
• Might of Guardian Primecomic book seriesJide Martin and Toheeb Deen Ipaye. Comic Republic's flagship hero, shortlisted for the 2017 Nommo Award.
• E.X.O.: The Legend of Wale Williams2015 · graphic novelRoye Okupe. First YouNeek Studios title, set in a futuristic Nigeria.
• Iyanu: Child of Wondergraphic novelRoye Okupe and Godwin Akpan. Yoruba-inspired fantasy that became a Cartoon Network series in 2025.

• Akinola LasekanDied 1974Pioneer of Nigerian cartooning; West African Pilot cartoonist from 1944 to 1966.
• Josy AjiboyeDaily Times cartoonist from 1971 to 2000, called the longest-serving Nigerian cartoonist.
• Dele JegedeBorn 1945Cartoonist, art editor of the Daily Times and creator of Kole Omole.
• Wale AdenugaBorn 1950Creator of Ikebe Super and Papa Ajasco.
• Tayo FatunlaBorn 1961Creator of Our Roots; first African graduate of the Joe Kubert School.
• Jide MartinCo-creator of Guardian Prime and Comic Republic's best-known author.
• Roye OkupeFounder of YouNeek Studios and creator of E.X.O., Malika and Iyanu.
• Murewa AyodeleBorn 1994Co-founder of Collectible Comics NG; has written Marvel's Storm.

• Dotun Akandecomics artist
• Michael Baloguncomics writer
• Wale Awelenjecomics creator
• Urenna Amadifilm director
• Tobe Ezeogucomics creator
• Ozo Ezeogucomics creator
• Abdulkareem Baba AminuBorn 1977 · cartoonist
• Olu Ajayi1963 to 2025 · cartoonist
• Mustapha Bulamacartoonist
• Ganiyu JimohJimgapolitical cartoonist
• Josiah Akanbi AjiboyeBorn 1948 · cartoonist
• Sarah Akinterinwacartoonist

• On Ajayi Crowther Street2019 · graphic novel
• Erucomic book series
• My Grandfather Was a God2021 · webcomic
• Hooked2015 · webcomic
• Urenna Amadi: The Extraordinary Shutter Bird2022 · comic book series
• Spirit of Lagos2015 · graphic novel
• Guardian Prime Genesiscomic book series
• Abokicomic strip
• Malika: Warrior Queen2016 · graphic novel
• Bala and Kareemacomic strip
• Avonomecomic book series
• Tatashecomic book series