Voting Commences for Uncover Naija 

On November 20, the public will have the opportunity to vote for the winners of Uncover Naija, a new initiative by Sterling Bank designed to showcase Nigeria’s tourism potential through visual storytelling.

Over 526 creatives from across Nigeria participated in the competition. Only 117 finalists were chosen. The finalists’ fates now lie in the hands of the public, who will choose the best works in different categories, including  Cultural Heritage, City Life, People and Portraits, Breathtaking Landscapes, and Wildlife and Nature. 

Beyond the competition, the initiative seeks to empower local creatives. With cash prizes awarded to 32 exceptional winners, the Uncover Naija will also reward the 1st Place winner with the sum of N2.5 million, and the 2nd Place winner getting N1.5 million while N150,000 each will be given to a total of 30 runners-up in the competition. Also, a digital gallery will be set up for winners to enable them to monetise their works.

According to Sterling Bank’s Managing Director, Abubakar Suleiman, the Uncover Naija competition will make Nigeria come alive and give people new lenses to view the beauty of the country. 

“It’s not just a story of pictures,” he said. “First we will compel Nigerians who live in Nigeria, experience Nigeria to start to see Nigeria and capture what they see in different art forms such as photography, drawings, poetry, whatever form or medium, so that we can create these for the benefit of those who do not live in our environment.”

The initiative is supported by the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, and Made by Nigeria (MBN), a bank initiative focused on supporting local talent.