Tolani Alli is an acclaimed documentary photographer
whose images and stories have been featured on BBC
News, World Press, The Guardian (U.K), Bella Naija and
more. She was recently commissioned as a freelance
photographer by The Guardian (UK) on a special report on
the oil spill in the Niger Delta . Additionally, Tolani was the
first African enrolled in the debut of World Press Photo Noor
Images and Danish School of Photojournalism/Media
Documentary Program, which she completed with honors.
Tolani came to prominence as a photographer to the
Governor of Oyo, one of Nigeria’s most notable states.
While this role has historically had limited female
representation, she battles hard to push for more gender
equality and prides herself as a proponent of equity in her
profession.
A distinguished alumni of The University of Michigan, she credits her photography journey to a
chance interest in a camera after watching an Aston Kutcher cannon commercial while battling
a grave illness. As her true passion for photography emerged, she transformed from being
medical school bound to becoming obsessed with photography and telling stories with her
lens.
Tolani Alli continues to be a trailblazer and unapologetic in redefining what it means to be
Nigeria, American, African and global citizen. In delivering the keynote presentation at The
World Renowned Fearless Photographers Conference In Split, Croatia, she challenged the
crowd to opening up itself to a new African narrative and showing the importance of
photography in doing so. Her bold and visionary approach leaves little explanation as to why
she was recently named in the top 30 of 100 of most influential young-Nigerians.