Sarkinmota Autos, a Nigerian car company, is hosting an exciting graphic logo design competition. Dr. Aliyu, the CEO of Sarkinmota, announced the challenge aiming to find fresh creative talent to redesign or create a new logo for the company.
The contest is promoted on TikTok using hashtags #logodesignchallenge and #Sarkinmota, inviting graphic designers across Nigeria to join. The winner will receive a cash prize of 100,000 Naira and a chance to become one of Sarkinmota’s official designers. This opportunity offers exposure and a platform for designers interested in automotive branding to showcase their skills.
Dr. Aliyu explained that the challenge is designed not only to find the best design but also to boost the company’s brand visibility through the creative energy of Nigerian designers. The winning logo will represent Sarkinmota in future branding and marketing efforts.
However, the initiative has drawn significant criticism from within the design community. Illa Bappa Ibrahim, founder of Mediahooch Space and a brand advisor, called the challenge “an exploitative stunt dressed up as an opportunity.” He argued that such logo design contests often undervalue the skill involved.
“You throw a crumb of ₦100k in the air and expect serious designers to fight over it like it’s a favor. It’s not. It’s a slap in the face,” Ibrahim said, stressing the need for fair recognition of creative work.
He also shared a personal story about his experience with NIMC (National Identity Management Commission), where his design has been used for almost a year without payment.
“That’s a national identifier, and yet I’ve not been paid for the rights. What I got was someone in a position of authority looking me dead in the face and saying, ‘Just go home and forget about it.’ Forget what? The value of my work?” Ibrahim said.
Adding to the conversation, Safwan Idris revealed his own frustrations, saying he was tagged many times but ignored the challenge.
“Many times I’ve got robbed of these so-called challenges and the winner ended up being a mediocre and apprentice in the skill work.”
Ahmad Mukhtar also criticized the competition, pointing to a comment claiming someone could “just give ChatGPT to… give me a logo.” Mukhtar said this showed a lack of respect for designers and that challenges like this often have judges who don’t understand good design.
“Let’s value what we do and stop falling for such. That way, people will respect what we do,” he urged
These voices reflect long-standing challenges Nigerian brand designers face around fair pay, respect, and proper recognition. While Sarkinmota’s contest offers a platform for exposure, the criticism shines a light on the broader issue of how creative talent is valued in the industry.
