Yinka Edward

EARLY LIFE

Yinka Edward was born in Jos, Nigeria. His interest in the camera began in his youth through church activities, where a youth group leader taught him basic camera skills and he filmed weddings and events. A challenge from a friend studying at the National Film Institute prompted him to formalise his training. He graduated from the National Film Institute in Jos in 2006.

CAREER

After graduating from the National Film Institute, Edward worked early on with director Mak ’Kusare and joined the BBC production team on the series Wetin Dey. He later shot The Ties That Bind, Namibia’s first indigenously produced series. Back in Nigeria he became a key collaborator with major directors, notably Kunle Afolayan (The Figurine, Phone Swap, October 1) and Izu Ojukwu (Alero’s Symphony, ’76). He also shot Confusion Na Wa and the Tom Tykwer-produced Kenyan/German feature Something Necessary (which screened at the Toronto International Film Festival). He furthered his training with an MA in cinematography at the National Film and Television School (NFTS) in England. His NFTS graduating project, the animated short A Love Story, won the BAFTA for Best British Short Animation in 2017. Major later credits include: 93 Days Lionheart (Netflix original, directed by Genevieve Nnaji) The Milkmaid The Black Book (Netflix) Crime and Justice Lagos (Showmax; he served as Director of Photography and executive producer; the series won Best TV Series at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards 2023) Second-unit Director of Photography on Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast Additional work on projects such as Dolapo Is Fine, Daylight Rules, Okafor’s Law, and international credits including splinter-unit work on Meg 2: The Trench. He has received the African Movie Academy Award (AMAA) for Best Cinematography for The Figurine (2010) and multiple nominations at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards.

PERSONAL LIFE

Yinka Edward is based primarily in the United Kingdom while maintaining strong professional ties to Nigerian and African cinema. He has spoken about his faith and a commitment to excellence in his craft.

Yinka Edward is regarded as one of Africa’s leading cinematographers, known for elevating the visual quality of contemporary Nigerian cinema and bridging Nollywood with international productions. He has been featured in industry books and continues to work across African and UK/European projects while advocating for higher standards and structured training in Nigerian filmmaking.