In the bustling streets of Nigeria, a vibrant scene of type design is emerging, bringing African expression to the world of typography. Despite the country's rich visual culture, type design has often been overlooked, overshadowed by digital fonts and design software. However, a new generation of Nigerian graphic designers is now bringing back the country's unique typographic heritage, rooted in improvisation and storytelling. These designers are experimenting with indigenous scripts, crafting fonts inspired by street typography, and redefining what Nigerian type can look like. This movement is not only gaining recognition within Nigeria but is also making its mark on global design conversations.
One of the pioneers of this movement is Chisaokwu Joboson, who understands the challenges faced by type designers in Lagos and across Africa. With limited infrastructure, tools, and peers, the field can be isolating. However, Chisaokwu is dedicated to building a community for type designers, ensuring that future generations don't have to start from scratch. His journey into type design was fueled by a desire to represent African culture in a field dominated by Western typography. He explains, 'Type design is precise, technical, and often time-demanding, but it's also expressive and full of discovery. For me, it's been a journey of learning, unlearning, and trying to bring a bit of African culture into a historically Western field.'
Chisaokwu's latest project, Mekanikal Display, is a monospaced, industrial-inspired font rooted in African vernacular. The name comes from the local spelling of 'mechanic,' and its beveled cuts mimic the shape of a nut section, paying homage to workshop aesthetics. He describes it as bold, raw, and mechanical with a handmade spirit, supporting African languages. Chisaokwu has also created the Ụdị Foundry, an independent type foundry that creates typefaces rooted in African expression for the global design space. His brand, Studio Ansa, blends strategic designs with storytelling, helping other brands find their unique design solutions. Additionally, he founded Type Afrika, a community that shares knowledge and builds a new generation of type designers across the continent.
Another notable figure is Seyi Olusanya, who sees type design as a means to learn about the continent and contribute to its visual vernacular. He encourages designers to add genuinely African types to their design vocabulary, moving beyond pattern tropes and expected color schemes. Seyi's process involves exploring archives and drawing inspiration from his environment, including bus stops, signage, and small businesses. His significant work, Danfo, draws inspiration from the vinyl cut-out lettering found on Lagos's public buses. He also collaborated with Google Fonts to create Tac, inspired by the wordmark of Festac '77.
David James Udoh, a graphic designer without formal training, found his niche in brand design, where he could experiment with typography constantly. He spent months obsessed with details, learning that type design is a meditative path that allows him to slow down and pay attention to insignificant things. David's process involves collecting photos, sketches, objects, and even sounds, sketching loosely, and refining endlessly. He draws inspiration from type designers like Ohno Type, whose expressive and stylistic typefaces captivate him. David currently runs an independent visual archive, Caveat Emptor, which documents vernacular design culture in Nigeria, shaping his view of letterforms as reflections of people's stories and ingenuity.
These Nigerian designers are not just creating fonts; they are preserving and celebrating the country's unique visual heritage. Their work is a testament to the power of creativity and the importance of representation in design. As their influence grows, they are not only shaping the future of Nigerian typography but also contributing to global design conversations, ensuring that African expression finds its rightful place in the world of typography.
