Nsibidi Fables: Animation, Storytelling, and the Role of AI in Modern Production

A session facilitated by David Ezefuna

AI in African Storytelling and Animation

David Ezefuna, based in Lagos, presented on the role of AI in modern storytelling and animation, a topic of interest to those in the content business. He discussed how AI is being utilized in production, addressing the question of whether African creators are taking advantage of these technologies.

AI-Driven African Storytelling Revolution

David discussed Nsibidi Fables, a Nigerian production company focused on animation and AI-driven storytelling to bridge the gap between African and Western storytelling traditions. He highlighted challenges such as limited access to skilled animators and VFX professionals, time constraints, and societal pressures that prioritize traditional careers over creative arts. David explained their journey, starting with basic code experiments and overcoming resource limitations, emphasizing their mission to revolutionize African creative spaces using AI to tell unique stories efficiently.

AI Tools for Creative Workflows

David and his team developed in-house tools using open-source AI technologies like stable diffusion models to enhance creative workflows, particularly in animation and VFX, while addressing concerns about AI replacing human creativity by focusing on "augmented artistry." They trained custom models to integrate their unique styles and improved efficiency by automating repetitive tasks like coloring, reducing time and strain on small teams. David emphasized the potential of AI to bridge skill gaps and level the playing field for African creators, highlighting their ability to compete with larger teams abroad using these tools. Bashir encouraged further discussion on how AI can streamline historical storytelling processes, and David agreed to elaborate on this in future sessions.

AI-Driven African History Animations

David explained how their company uses AI to create historically accurate animations and visual content about African history. He detailed how they train their own AI models locally in Nigeria using powerful GPUs and open-source software, which allows them to maintain authenticity and control over the output.

AI Training and Creative Suite

Kingsley explained the process of training AI models locally due to the lack of access to GPUs, using computers with Nvidia cards, and fine-tuning them for better cultural relevance. He detailed the use of AI tools to streamline the cleanup and coloring processes for animators, reducing time spent on repetitive tasks. David emphasized the need for better GPU instances to enhance their current efforts and highlighted their goal of creating an integrated creative suite that combines open-source tools with cloud-based accessibility, allowing seamless integration with existing software like Veo 3.

Creative Suite Beta Release Strategy

The team discussed the development and future release of an AI powered creative suite from Nsibidi Fables, with David explaining that they have implemented auto-clean and auto-color features and plan to add background generation and VFX pipeline tools, aiming for a 60% completion before public release. The group discussed possible release strategies for the software once it is ready.

Animation and Storytelling Across Ages

David shared insights on animation and storytelling, highlighting how content can be targeted at multiple age groups, with examples like "The Incredibles" and "Frozen." Timiebi and David discussed the importance of clear communication when targeting older demographics in animation. Chukwuemeka invited David and Kingsley to share their work in future sessions.

In closing, David’s presentation underscored how AI is not just a tool for efficiency, but a catalyst for reimagining African storytelling on a global stage. By merging tradition with technology, Nsibidi Fables is demonstrating that creators across the continent can overcome resource limitations, preserve cultural authenticity, and craft compelling stories that resonate across generations. As their AI-powered creative suite continues to evolve, it holds the promise of empowering more African artists to shape narratives that are not only competitive internationally but also deeply rooted in local heritage. The conversation marks just the beginning of a broader movement—one where African voices use AI to tell their own stories with greater scale, speed, and impact.

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