We are announcing the launch of the #MyNaijaPain Challenge, a national social media challenge that gives young Nigerians a creative platform to name, confront, and amplify the social and economic realities that define daily life across the country.
Running from April 28 to May 5, 2026, the campaign invites rappers, actors, and skitmakers between the ages of 16 and 25 to produce short-form vertical video content posted to their own social media pages using the hashtag #MyNaijaPain for a chance to win from a prize pool of over ₦1,250,000.
The #MyNaijaPain Challenge is a citizen-powered content movement built on a single belief: that the most important stories happening in Nigeria right now are being lived, not written. Fuel queues that stretch into the night. Rent that swallows three salaries. Loan apps that call your contacts when you miss a payment, and a generation weighing whether to stay or Japa.
We, at Nigerian Entertainment Today, are providing that stage. Through User-Generated Content (UGC) across TikTok, Instagram Reels, X, and Facebook, the campaign mobilises creative expression as a vehicle for civic conversation, turning the social media scroll into a record of what Nigerians are actually living through.
Participants choose from three modes of entry, all shot vertically in 60–90 seconds:
Rap Report — An original or remixed rap or Afrobeats performance addressing at least one social issue. Vocal perfection is not the point. Truth is.
Monologue — A solo acting piece, original or reimagined from a classic, confronting a current social reality. Shot, edited, and uploaded by the performer.
Skit: A comedic or dramatic short video. Group submissions are actively encouraged. Skitmakers shoot, package, and post to their own pages.
Topics at the Heart of the MyNaijaPain Challenge
Participants are encouraged to explore issues, including but not limited to:
- Fuel scarcity and its cascading effects on daily life
- The soaring cost of living and a citizenry in survival mode
- The ban on airtime lending and its impact on low-income Nigerians
- Japa or Japada — the deepening debate over emigration
- Insecurity and the safety of ordinary Nigerians
- Predatory loan apps and loan sharks exploiting vulnerable borrowers
- Consumer rights: the question of who actually protects Nigerian consumers
Prizes and Judging
Winners will be determined by a combination of engagement metrics, likes, shares, and comments across platforms, and the strength and cultural relevance of the content submitted.
- Winner: ₦600,000
- 1st Runner-Up: ₦400,000
- 2nd Runner-Up: ₦250,000
Eligibility
English, Nigerian Pidgin, and all Nigerian languages are welcome
Participants must be between 16 and 25 years of age
All submissions must be original works posted by the creator to their personal social media page
Clear video quality and crisp audio are mandatory
Content must be shot in vertical format
Posts must include the hashtag #MyNaijaPain
Across all three formats, content is weighted above performance. Submissions may be delivered in English, Nigerian Pidgin, or any Nigerian language.
