FREE TO ENTER · DEADLINE JULY 31ST 2026

Celebrating our national natural heritage through The Lens

Entries are now open

Join us in showcasing Nigeria's nature to the world.
Submit your photo and stand a chance to win ₦1,500,000

Much of Nigeria’s natural liferemains unseen & underappreciated

Nigeria's natural world is rich, vast, and largely unseen.
It sustains the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we grow yet much of it goes unnoticed. With over 6000 species of plants and animals, many still undiscovered, the Nigeria Nature Photography Awards exists to change that.

A young man between trees with fruits on them

The Nigeria Nature Photography Awards exists to strengthen public appreciation for Nigeria’s biodiversity and natural heritage by recognizing exceptional nature photography, amplifying stories that reveal our connection to nature, and engaging audiences through competitions, awards, and exhibitions.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are looking for strong, real, and meaningful images of nature in Nigeria: plants, animals, ecosystems, natural phenomena and human-nature interactions.

YOU WILL BE JUDGED ON

RARITY & SIGNIFICANCE

Rarity of species, behaviour, or moment captured
Representation of Nigeria's biodiversity
Cultural or conservation relevance

CREATIVITY & STORYTELLING

Originality of perspective
Emotional or educational impact
Communicates key message about the environment

TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE

Sharpness and clarity
Exposure and lighting
Composition and framing
Effective use of colour, contrast, and depth

MEET THE JUDGES

Beyond the opportunity to win prizes, the Nigeria Nature Photography Awards offers photographers the chance to have their work assessed by a distinguished panel of experts in conservation, biodiversity, and visual storytelling.

Please note that all entries will undergo an eligibility review before being submitted to the judging panel. Eligible entries will be shortlisted and assessed by the judges after the submission period has closed. Additional judges may be announced during the submission period.

Dr Joseph Onoja

Director General of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation

Sikeade Egbuwalo

Nigeria's National Focal Point for the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity

Nela Ekpenyong-Duke

Managing Partner at Obudu Capital, CEO of LEGA.C Capital, WildAfrica Ambassador

Niyi Fagbemi

Travel and documentary filmmaker

JOIN THE CHALLENGEAND STAND A CHANCE TO WIN

SELECTED PHOTOGRAPHS WILL ALSO BE:

Promoted on
social media

Printed and
exhibited publicly

Recognized
internationally

OVERALL WINNER

₦1,500,000

RUNNER-UP WINNER

₦1,000,000

THIRD PLACE

₦500,000

STEPS ON HOW TOJOIN THE CHALLENGE

Submissions are now open. Read the competition rules and follow these simple steps to submit your photos and join the challenge.

01.

Create an Account and Become a Contributor

Click the Sign Up button to create an account on Ninthgrid . Once your account is created, click the Become a Contributor button to activate your contributor profile.

02.

Upload Your Images

Start uploading your images to the platform. You can upload up to 10 images at a time, and all uploaded images will automatically be saved as Drafts.

03.

Complete Your Submission Details

Go to your drafts and click Edit on each image. Fill in all the required information, then select Nigerian Nature Photography Award as the campaign you are submitting for.

04.

Submit for Review

Review your information and click Submit. Our team will review your images and approve them if they meet the submission requirements and guidelines, or reject them if they do not.

Have any questions on the submission process? Reach out to contributor@ninthgrid.com

SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN NOW

Deadline:
JULY 31ST 2026 (23:59 WAT)

THIS AWARD IS MADE POSSIBLE
THROUGH COLLABORATION:

FREQUENTLY ASKEDQUESTIONS

Anyone over 18

All images must be taken in Nigeria.

Up to 20 images

Basic editing is allowed in terms of photo contrast, exposure, and highlights. No AI or deceptive manipulation.

Yes. Photographers retain copyright to their images, but by entering the competition they grant the organisers and Ninthgrid permission to use submitted photographs for the competition, promotion, exhibition, and licensing on the Ninthgrid platform.

Through the NinthGrid submission portal.

Read the competition rules here or contact us at info@nnpawards.com