The Business of Photography Conference (BOP) 2025 Wraps Up with Five Days of Conversations, Masterclasses and Bold Ideas

From L-R: Oladotun “Do2dtun”, OAP & Media Entrepreneur; Aisha Augie-Kuta, Director-General at the Centre For Black and African Arts Culture; Kola Oshalusi, Convener, The Business of Photography Conference; Bayo Omoboriowo, Photojournalist and Documentary Photographer; Harry Kesiena, Head of Arts, British Council Nigeria, and Rex Okiche, Media Executive at the just concluded Business of Photography Conference 2025.

The Business of Photography Conference (BOP) 2025 concluded after five transformative days of conversations, masterclasses, and groundbreaking ideas that reaffirmed photography’s place as both art and enterprise. With the theme “The Art of Enterprise” at its core, the conference brought together leading voices across photography, fashion, media, wellness, and business, equipping creatives with the knowledge, skills, and networks to thrive in today’s evolving creative economy.

L-R: Favour Elilejo Achebo, OAP; Olufemi Oguntamu, CEO, Penzaarville; Enoshowo Adesuwa Eworo, creative director, Captured by Adesuwa Photography; Angel Obasi, co-founder & creative director, Anichel; Felix Crown, photographer, Creative Strategist at the just concluded Business of Photography Conference 2025.

The conference was held at two prestigious venues in Lagos. The DAP Experience Centre hosted the majority of sessions, while the Landmark Event Centre, home to the Africa Creative Market (ACM), hosted the main conference on September 16. Keynote speakers at the main conference, powered by ACM, included Hon. Aisha Adamu Augie, Oladipo-Adetayo Babalola of the National Gallery of Art, and Scott C. Eneje, who presented an international report on the Nigerian photography industry.

L-R: Emeka Amafor, photographer & CEO, Bedge Pictures; Mai Atafo, founder of Atafo; Bukola Oloyede, filmmaker & media consultant; RyanOniFOTO, creative director, RyanOniFOTO Photography; Clarence Peter, filmmaker, Cinematographer at the just concluded Business of Photography Conference 2025.

The day’s panel discussions explored themes of sustainability, branding, and cross-industry collaboration. In “The Creative Hustle: Turning Passion into Profit”, Oladotun “Do2dtun” Kayode, Aisha Augie-Kuta and Bayo Omoboriowo unpack how creatives can build businesses while maintaining artistic integrity. “From Idea to Impact: Building Businesses That Matter” featured Solape Akinpelu of Hervest, Nkechi Eze of Aso Ebi Bella and others, who shared lessons on purpose-driven entrepreneurship. Other standout sessions included “Creative Collaborations: The Future of Shared Genius” with Clarence Peters, Ryan Onifoto Alabi, Emeka Amafor and Mai Atafo, which emphasised the power of partnerships, and “Legacy Over Hype: Building for the Long Game”, where Dayo Adedayo, Kelechi Amadi-Obi and Lanre Da Silva championed sustainability and longevity as pillars of creative success.

The week opened with an intimate networking cocktail and a special screening of “BOP Over the Years”, setting the stage for reflection on past milestones and anticipation of new possibilities. From there, BOP 2025 became a hub of dynamic dialogue and collaboration, sparking conversations on how visual storytelling fuels industries from fashion to media.

From L-R: Favour Elilejo Achebo, OAP; Vivienne Odofin, Founder, BRV Consulting; Kola Oshalusi, Convener, The Business of Photography Conference; Solape Akinpelu, Co-Founder, HerVest; Kola Adekola, Visual Consultant & Multidisciplinary Artist; Nkechi Eze, CEO, Asoebibella at the just concluded Business of Photography Conference 2025.

At the heart of BOP 2025 were powerful conversations and curated sessions that examined the realities of building a sustainable creative career. Speakers, including Emmanuel Manne of Manneshotit Photography, Ayo Makinwa, Olayiwola Oladehinde of Ovaris Global Resources, Olamide Adenuga (Assistant PRO, Lagos State Professional Photographers Association of Nigeria), and Koutchika Lihouenou of Gaspo Studios, shared personal experiences on mentorship, creative identity, innovation, and community building, leaving participants with insights that were as practical as they were inspiring.

One of the highlights of the conference was the Masterclass Series, which offered deep-dive training in wellness, branding, digital storytelling, pitching and presentation, financial sustainability, and legal considerations. Experts such as Oyin Talabi, Nnenna Onyewuchi (Barefoot Strategist), Dayo Adedayoof DAP Experience Centre, Solape Akinpelu (CEO, Hervest), Jokotade Shonowo (Poshclick), Olajumoke Coker, and celebrated photographer Kelechi Amadi-Obi delivered sessions that blended actionable knowledge with thought-provoking insights, empowering participants to strengthen both their creative and business journeys.

The conference reached its high-energy finale with the Speed Pitch, where nine innovators presented bold business ideas to an investor panel that included Solape Akinpelu, Aderonke Osho of Utica Capital, Fiyin Ogunlesi of Regal Stone Capital, and Collins Gilbert of Ventures Platform. While no immediate investments were announced, the session delivered invaluable feedback and underscored BOP’s role as a launchpad for innovation, leaving participants motivated to refine their solutions and scale their impact.

Closing the week, Convener Kola Oshalusi expressed gratitude to partners, investors, participants, and the BOP team for making the 2025 edition a success. “BOP is not just about attending sessions; it is about applying what you’ve learnt and building a future for the industry,” he said. “We look forward to BOP 2026, which promises to be bigger and better.”

Deborah Okoloigwe, Business Development and Project Manager for BOP 2025, added, “Our vision for BOP 2025 was to create a platform that didn’t just inspire but equipped participants with practical skills, networks and clarity to grow their businesses. This year’s edition showed us what’s possible when creativity meets enterprise.”

With this exciting edition, BOP 2025 reinforced its mission to prepare photographers and creatives for long-term success by combining artistry with strategy, wellness, and enterprise. As the curtain falls on this year’s conference, BOP continues to stand as Africa’s leading platform for empowering creatives to innovate, collaborate, and redefine the future of photography.

BellaNaija is a Media Partner for The Business of Photography Conference (BOP) 2025