About a decade after the #WeAreModelsNotSlaves campaign drew attention to poor pay and unfair treatment in Nigeria’s modelling industry, a new documentary is revisiting the lives and realities of models in the country.
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Aniyota Media has announced the release of Model Citizen, a documentary that centres the voices of Nigerian models as they speak openly about their experiences, careers, and the challenges that shape their work. The film premieres on October 26 on YouTube.
Featuring models (also credited as associate producers) Nkemjika Okorafor, Adunolaoluwa Osilowo, Arafa Adele, Amaka Oguike, Ifeoma Anadu, Ifeoma Nwobu and Juliet Chioma Ezeigwe, Model Citizen seeks to highlight what it means to be a model in Nigeria today beyond the stereotypes.
According to the creators, the casting process involved reaching out to a wide pool of models to hear as many stories as possible. However, not everyone was willing to appear on camera, which ultimately shaped the final selection.
The documentary addresses issues of representation, gender perception, and the imbalance in opportunities between models and celebrities with larger online followings. “Models not getting proper endorsement is not just a Nigerian problem, it’s a global issue,” Nkemjika Okorafor says in the film. “If as a model you don’t have the numbers online, they’d give the deal to a celebrity who has the numbers.”
Another cast member, Amaka Oguike, adds: “There are so many issues that have gotten overlooked, and this documentary brings more awareness to all those things that happen behind the scenes versus what you see out.”
For many in the cast, the documentary serves as both testimony and advocacy as a way to contribute to an industry-wide conversation that began years earlier with hashtags like #WeAreModelsNotSlaves, when Nigerian models publicly protested exploitative contracts and unpaid labour.
Model Citizen arrives at a time when labour rights across Nigeria’s creative industries are increasingly under discussion, from film to fashion to music. Many of the concerns voiced by models in the film echo those heard from other young creatives working without formal or proper contracts or collective bargaining power.
The filmmakers hope the documentary, serving as a conversation starter, encourages better treatment of models. Also, they hope audiences will find the film inspiring, highlighting the resilience of models who have turned negative experiences into positive ones.
Founded by Aderonke Adeola, Aniyota Media previously produced Awani, a documentary that examines Nigeria’s colonial history and its lasting impact on women. Model Citizen is written, directed and produced by Adeola, with Funmi Coker as co-producer, and Oluwaseun Babalola and Adeola serving as executive producers.
Model Citizen will be available for streaming on Aniyota Media’s YouTube channel from October 26, 2025.
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