When you open a board game, the first thing that grabs your attention isn’t the dice or the rules, it’s the artwork. The colors. The characters. The feeling that you’re stepping into another world.
In Nigeria, illustrators are bringing game worlds to life with visuals that feel authentic and immersive. Meet Ebere Josiah and Felix “MasterPhelis” Eleyi Elaigwu, two artists whose works are helping shape the visual soul of Nigerian tabletop games.
Meet Josiah – The Quiet Builder of Worlds
“I’ve always been a creative,” Josiah says. “Drawing comic books, joining art competitions, brainstorming ideas with my friends.”
In 2015, he got his first PC and that changed everything. He stumbled across Nigerian comic studios like Comic Republic and Vortex247, and it hit him: “If they could do it, so could I.”
Soon, his sketches turned digital, and his art turned professional. Then came a meeting that changed everything: Kenechukwu Ogbuagu, the founder of Nibcard Games, one of Nigeria’s biggest tabletop game studios. “He was one of the first people to commission me,” Josiah recalls. “That’s how I entered the game design space.” Since then, Josiah has gone on to work on games such as Spy and Settlers and Fight in the Hive.
Now, Josiah spends his days turning stories into visuals, step by step. He starts by understanding the theme, sketches ideas, builds mood boards, and pays careful attention to measurements before “jumping into design software to work his magic.” His goal? To make each image feel alive.
Meet MasterPhelis – The Storyteller with a Stylus
Felix Eleyi Elaigwu, known to many as MasterPhelis, has been “Felix the Artist” since childhood; “From day one, I was more interested in drawing shapes than letters,”.
Today, he’s a full-time digital artist, illustrator, and concept designer based in Abuja with over eight years of experience across comics, NFTs, and board games. “I’ve worked on projects like Village War and The Hunt with Nibcard Games,” he says. “And every one of them taught me something new.”
For Felix, illustration isn’t just about beauty, it’s about connection. “When you play a game, you should feel the tension, the excitement, the glory,” he says passionately. “It’s not just about good visuals, it’s about making players feel something.”
Culture, Collaboration, and the Nigerian Touch
Both artists bring Nigerian culture into everything they design. Felix explains: “Even in fictional worlds, I sneak in things like local hairstyles, clothing, and accessories. It’s about keeping that originality alive.”
Josiah agrees, saying that even the smallest details can make a design feel authentically Nigerian. “Our art should reflect our identity, that’s what makes it stand out,” he says.
They also praise spaces like ABCon and Abuja Comic Art Convention, which bring creators together. “Conventions like ABCon help artists and game designers meet, share ideas, and build lasting partnerships,” Felix notes.
Challenges and Breakthroughs
Designing for tabletop games isn’t all fun and fantasy. Josiah admits that the brainstorming phase can be tough. “It’s where creativity meets structure, sometimes it’s frustrating, but it’s also where the magic happens.”
Felix finds the biggest challenge in deciding the right art style. “There are endless ways to visualize an idea,” he says. “But once you find the right one, it transforms the entire project.”
Both have proud memories of projects that pushed them to grow. Josiah remembers 10 Days During the War — a game he worked on during a difficult personal period. “It reminded me that art has healing power,” he says. Felix points to Village War as his career-defining moment: “It was my first board game project, I was nervous, but it turned out amazing!”
The Future of Nigerian Tabletop Games
Both illustrators see an exciting road ahead for the Nigerian gaming industry. “The community is growing fast,” Josiah says. “From small gatherings to full-blown conventions like ABCon, the love for games keeps spreading.”
Felix adds, “The future of Nigerian tabletop games is bright. More creators, more players and with that comes more opportunities for artists.”
And can game design be a full-time creative career here? Both believe it can. “Yes,” says Josiah, “the proof is already there.” Felix expands on it: “A good game deserves good art and Nigerian artists are ready to deliver that.”
So What’s Next?
For Josiah and Felix, it’s simple; keep creating, keep telling stories, and keep bringing worlds to life. Their art reminds us that behind every board game is not just an illustrator, but a dreamer, a storyteller, and an artist — sketching the soul of Nigerian creativity one brushstroke at a time.
Written by: Hilda Alagada
