About project
Ali Baba’s Photography Open 2025 is an all-inclusive photography competition aimed at discovering and rewarding visual storytelling talents across the globe. This initiative is curated by Ali Baba, a pioneer of Nigeria’s creative industry, and seeks to provide both amateur and professional photographers a platform to showcase their art. Participants can enter from anywhere—Nigeria, across Africa, or abroad.
This project has the support and sponsorship from Providus Bank and the Office of the Vice President on Creative Economy to actualize this high-impact initiative, promote the creative sector, and foster national and international exposure or Nigeria’s artistic talents.
Project Objective
Identify and Reward Photographic Excellence
Offer global visibility to Nigerian and African creatives
Promote smartphone photography as a viable art form
Build a sustainable ecosystem for Creative talent
Enhance public-private collaboration in the arts and culture sector
The Judges
TY Bello
Professional Photographer
TY Bello
Professional Photographer
rich visual storytelling. Her work captures the depth, dignity, and spirit of her subjects, ranging from presidents
and artists to everyday people, always revealing something beyond the surface.
With a unique ability to blend artistry with authenticity, TY’s photography has shaped how contemporary
African identity is seen and appreciated. Her iconic images, often shared in real time through spontaneous
sessions, have sparked global conversations and transformed lives.
Don Barbar
Veteran Nigerian Photographer and Visual
Don Barbar
Veteran Nigerian Photographer and Visual
visual culture, capturing a wide array of subjects from society events to corporate portraits.
Barber has since embraced modern technology, organizing the Mobile Phone Photography and Arts
Competition Awards (MPPACA). This initiative encourages creativity among Nigerian youth by leveraging the
accessibility of mobile phone cameras.
Barber’s work has been showcased in various exhibitions, including group shows at Omenka Gallery in Lagos,
alongside other notable Nigerian photographers. His recent endeavors involve transforming his photographs
into AI-assisted digital paintings, blending traditional techniques with contemporary innovation.
Adelani Opeyemi
Official Photographer to Nigeria’s Vice President
Adelani Opeyemi
Official Photographer to Nigeria’s Vice President
Kashim Shettima. Appointed in May 2023, Opeyemi documents the Vice President’s official engagements,
capturing moments that reflect the nation’s leadership.
Beyond his governmental role, Opeyemi is the Head Photographer at Scematic Media, a position he has held
since July 2013. His work is characterized by a commitment to visual storytelling, aiming to present narratives
that resonate with authenticity and depth.
Nosa Asemota
Presidential Photographer and Visual Storyteller
Nosa Asemota
Presidential Photographer and Visual Storyteller
to the President of Nigeria.
Appointed as the Special Assistant on Visual Communications and Personal Photographer to President Bola
Ahmed Tinubu, Asemota has been instrumental in crafting the visual narrative of the presidency. His portfolio
includes official portraits, state functions, and behind-the-scenes moments that offer a unique glimpse into the
nation’s leadership.
Kelechi Amadi-Obi
Master of the Lens and Visual Composition
Kelechi Amadi-Obi
Master of the Lens and Visual Composition
With a career spanning decades, his work combines technical precision with artistic elegance, capturing the
beauty, confidence, and cultural richness of his subjects.
From high-profile editorial shoots to iconic celebrity portraits, Kelechi’s images have defined visual excellence
in African photography. His signature style, bold, refined, and deeply expressive, continues to influence both
emerging creatives and the broader visual arts landscape.
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