Fashion photography is a vital part of the fashion industry, and these photographers are putting Nigerian visuals on the map.
In the vibrant world of Nigerian fashion, many photographers are pushing boundaries, shaping visual narratives, and capturing style in a way that celebrates fashion. From Lagos street style to high-end editorials with global brands, these image-makers are central to how fashion and photography intersect today. The photographers on this list are at the forefront of this movement. They are creating images that shape the fashion industry and immortalise it as cultural history.
Yagazie Emezi
Yagazie Emezi, born in Aba and now based in Lagos, combines her background in cultural anthropology with documentary and fashion photography. Her fashion-work retains a rawness and an eye for the honest depiction of humanity. Beyond lookbooks and campaigns, she uses fashion imagery to engage issues of identity, bodies, and female representation. Her influence lies in bridging documentary authenticity with style production — a hybrid that helps reposition Nigerian fashion imagery on the world stage.
Stephen Tayo
Stephen Tayo, a Lagos-based photographer born in 1994, studied philosophy before turning to visual work. His style: intimate portraits that capture streetwear, youth culture and personal style. For instance, he celebrated Lagos’ everyday fashion and asked, “Which Lagos you dey?” in a series that explored the city’s many faces. He has been featured in major publications (Dazed, The New York Times) and recognised on the BoF 500 list of people shaping global fashion. In doing so, he shifts global perceptions of Nigeria’s fashion scene — presenting it not just as a frontier, but as a source of visual innovation and cultural depth.
Read also: Nigerian youth are turning streetwear into the hottest fashion movement — and we are here for it
Thompson S. Ekong (aka TSE)
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Thompson S. Ekong (TSE) works at the intersection of fashion, music, and art. Based in Lagos, he’s photographed artists like Burna Boy, Santi, Davido, and Rema, as well as brands such as Nike, blending fashion and visual storytelling seamlessly. He describes himself as wanting to explore humanity, emotion, and our generation visually. His approach connects fashion photography with broader cultural expression — colour, mood, aesthetic in motion — and offers a fresh lens through which Nigerian fashion is being reframed.
Nadine Ijewere
Nadine Ijewere (born 1992) is a London-based photographer of Nigerian and Jamaican heritage whose work centres on identity, beauty and representation. Known for her portraits of Rihanna and her recent Ralph Lauren campaign celebrating the Black community in Oak Bluffs, Nadine showcases her mastery behind the lens. Her work powerfully champions Black legacy and cultural pride. Her influence lies in the way she challenges traditional beauty norms and infuses diasporic identity into high fashion photography. In doing so, she stands as a key figure in shaping Nigeria’s creative diaspora narrative.
Lakin Ogunbanwo
Lakin Ogunbanwo is a Nigerian fashion photographer (born 1987) whose work fuses classical portraiture with contemporary fashion. He studied law before moving into photography circa 2012. His images are renowned for their bold composition, vibrant flat colours, and formal references to mid-20th-century African studio photography. He expands the visual archive of Nigerian fashion, interrogating identity, symbolism, and representation — making his influence both aesthetic and conceptual.
Ruth Ossai
Ruth Ossai is a Nigerian-British photographer known for her vibrant and celebratory portraits that highlight African identity, beauty, and culture. Her work often blends traditional studio photography with bold colours, patterned backdrops, and expressive poses. Through this, she creates images that challenge stereotypes and honour her Igbo heritage. Ossai’s photographs capture joy, pride, and individuality, offering a powerful reimagining of African representation in contemporary visual culture.
Together, these six photographers are redefining what Nigerian fashion looks like — and more importantly, what it means. Through their lenses, style becomes storytelling, and fashion becomes a living archive of culture, identity, and possibility.
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