==External links==
==External links==
* [Official Website] (https://piusutomiekpei.com)
* [https://piusutomiekpei.com
* [Getty Images – Pius Utomi Ekpei Portfolio] (https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/pius-utomi-ekpei)
* [https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/pius-utomi-ekpei
* [Getty Images site] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getty_Images)
==See also – publications with Pius Utomi Ekpei’s images ==
==See also – publications with Pius Utomi Ekpei’s images ==
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Nigeria Photojournalist
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Pius Utomi Ekpei |
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|---|---|
 Pius Utomi Ekpei (self-portrait, 2025) |
|
| Born | (1962-05-05)May 5, 1962
Ebu Town, Delta State, Nigeria |
| Occupation(s) | Photojournalist, writer, media professional |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Employer(s) | Agence France-Presse (former), freelance, Getty Images (photo distribution) |
| Known for | Documentary and news photography across West Africa |
| Website | https://piusutomiekpei.com/ |
Pius Utomi Ekpei (born 5 May 1962) is a Nigerian photojournalist known for documenting the socio-political landscape of Nigeria and West Africa. His photographs have appeared in various international media outlets, including Agence France-Presse (AFP), Getty Images[1], BBC News,[2][3][4] Financial Times,[5][6] Amnesty International,[7][8][9] ESPN[10][11], Aljazeera,[12][13] The Guardian Nigeria,[14][15][16] among others.[17][18]
Early life and education
[edit]
Pius Utomi Ekpei was born in Nigeria in May 1962.[19] He developed an early interest in the arts, particularly photography, and pursued studies in Fine Arts, laying the foundation for his later career in photojournalism.
He attended the Nigerian Institute of Journalism in Lagos and obtained a diploma in journalism. He also studied photojournalism at the University of Missouri, School of Journalism, Columbia, Missouri, USA in 1989 and the University of Lagos, where he obtained his B.A. Hons. degree in English (1997-02), Master’s degree in Public and International Affairs (2005–2007) and, M.A. degree in English Literature (2008–2009).[19]
Pius Utomi Ekpei began his professional photography career in the early 1990s. He gained prominence through his work with AFP, covering elections, political events, social movements, and everyday life across Nigeria. His images have been syndicated internationally via Getty Images and featured in major publications including BBC News and The Guardian Nigeria.[20][21]
Selected photo essays and exhibitions
[edit]
- Biafraland – documenting the resurgence of Biafran separatist movements in southeastern Nigeria.[22][23]
- Recession Grounds Eko Atlantic Project – visual documentation of halted urban development in Lagos.[24][25][26]
- Aid Slowly Reaches Nigerian Flood Victims – coverage of humanitarian response following floods in Nigeria.[27]
- National elections and political campaigns in Nigeria — photographs syndicated by AFP and Getty Images.[28][1]
- Coverage of protests, civil-society demonstrations and security operations — images used in reports on press freedom and media access issues in Nigeria.[29][30][31][32]
- Editorial and feature photography across sports, culture and national events for Nigerian and international outlets.[10][33][34]
Ekpei’s photographic work is characterised by a documentary approach and a focus on human-centred storytelling. His images often depict individuals within broader social and political contexts, aiming to convey both immediacy and the wider implications of the events portrayed.[1]
Personal philosophy
[edit]
Ekpei has expressed a belief in the power of visual storytelling to highlight underrepresented communities and document human experiences with authenticity.[1][20][35]
Notability justification
[edit]
Pius Utomi Ekpei meets Wikipedia’s notability criteria for people and media professionals through substantial, sustained, and independent coverage in a wide range of reputable international and national sources. His work as a Nigerian photojournalist has been recognised and credited across prominent global outlets, including:
- BBC News and BBC World Service – credited in radio features and international news reports such as “The Story of Story Story: 13 years of drama making a difference in Nigeria” and “Conspiracy Theories Rage Online Over Coronavirus”.[36][37]
- Financial Times – credited for editorial photography in economic and business features on Nigeria and West Africa.[38][6]
- Al Jazeera and France 24 – contributor of visual documentation in reports on political, academic, and development issues across Nigeria.[39][40]
- Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) – frequent use of Ekpei’s photography in advocacy, human rights, and press freedom reports.[41][42]
- ESPN, PBS NewsHour, Fortune, The Times, and The Guardian Nigeria – regular credit in editorial, sports, and feature photography, evidencing consistent professional recognition.[43][44][45][46]
Ekpei’s work has been distributed globally through Agence France-Presse (AFP) and archived via Getty Images, ensuring international reach and citation. His photographs are frequently referenced by independent cultural, journalistic, and artistic publications, including *Kunstforum International*, *City People Magazine*, and *Lagos Metropolitan*.
Having documented Nigeria’s social, cultural, and political transformation over more than three decades, Ekpei’s enduring influence and global publication record demonstrate clear encyclopaedic significance and satisfy the notability criteria under Wikipedia’s notability guidelines for photographers and media figures.
- ^ a b c d “Photographer: Pius Utomi Ekpei”. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ^ “More or Less – Are African leaders more likely to die in office? – BBC Sounds”.
- ^ “BBC World Service – Newsday, Port Harcourt the Nigerian city covered in black soot”. 31 January 2020.
- ^ “BBC World Service – Newsday, Nigeria’s Obasanjo speaks out on drug policy”. 10 January 2018.
- ^ “Client Challenge”. www.ft.com.
- ^ a b “Client Challenge”. www.ft.com.
- ^ “Boko Haram at a glance”. 30 January 2015.
- ^ “Turning a Blind Eye on Impunity in Nigeria”. 2 March 2016.
- ^ “Nigeria: Government must stop Shell Niger Delta business sale”.
- ^ a b “Counting the cost of Nigeria’s football crisis”. ESPN.com. 2018-08-16. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
- ^ “Enyimba out to recreate past magic”. 30 September 2015.
- ^ “Nigeria is locked in an endless tug of war with its academics”.
- ^ “Nigerian workers’ wages diminish as inflation rises and gov’t revenue dips”.
- ^ “German–Nigerian Flare4Value project launches under EU Green Diplomacy Week”. 14 October 2025.
- ^ “Nigeria’s unending tears”. 9 March 2023.
- ^ “A nation in darkness”. 13 June 2022.
- ^ “Utomi seeks law to protect widows’ rights in Nigeria”. The Guardian Nigeria. 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ^ “The Week in Photos: Metuh’s Cross, COVID‑19 in Lagos”. Channels Television. 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ^ a b “About Me – Pius Utomi Ekpei”. Pius Utomi Ekpei. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ^ a b “Africa: Die Lebensbedingungen der afrikanischen Schwarzen”. Kunstforum.de. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ^ “Nigeria: An Islamist Sect Leader is Killed”. Stratfor / Worldview. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ^ “Discontent in ‘Biafraland’“. 17 May 2016.
- ^ “Nigeria: At least 115 people killed by security forces in four months in country’s Southeast”. 5 August 2021.
- ^ “Nigeria needs N31 trillion yearly for infrastructure”. 6 June 2017.
- ^ “Land prices surge in Eko Atlantic to over N2bn per plot — Report”. 19 July 2025.
- ^ “Utomi seeks law to protect widows’ rights in Nigeria as foundation empowers over 200”. 13 December 2021.
- ^ “Aid slowly reaches Nigerian flood victims”. Briefly.co.za. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ^ “Business Daily – Nigeria: Election Economics – BBC Sounds”.
- ^ “Journalists harassed in Nigeria”. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ^ “Journalists attacked while covering alleged vote fraud in Nigeria’s Edo state”. 23 September 2020.
- ^ “Nigerian journalists charged with criminal defamation, breach of peace”. 29 October 2019.
- ^ “Nigeria’s communications regulator sued over warrantless access to ‘call data’“. 26 February 2020.
- ^ “Veja fotos de Burkina Faso x Etiópia pela Copa Africana de Nações”. Gazeta Esportiva. 17 January 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ^ “About – Pius Utomi Ekpei”. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ^ “Portfolio – Pius Utomi Ekpei”.
- ^ “The story of Story Story: 13 years of drama making a difference in Nigeria”. www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ “Tech Life – Conspiracy theories rage online over coronavirus – BBC Sounds”. BBC.
- ^ Pilling, David (October 9, 2025). “Why powering business is the real lightbulb moment for Africa”.
- ^ Adetayo, Ope. “Nigeria is locked in an endless tug of war with its academics”. Al Jazeera.
- ^ “Nigeria looks to revive ailing palm oil sector”. France 24. October 3, 2021.
- ^ “Journalists attacked while covering alleged vote fraud in Nigeria’s Edo state”. September 23, 2020.
- ^ “Amnesty International stands by claims about Chibok raid”. May 12, 2014.
- ^ “Counting the cost of Nigeria’s football crisis”. ESPN.com. August 16, 2018.
- ^ “‘Nigeria on the Brink’ Outlines Troubled Country’s Biggest Hurdles”. PBS News. January 20, 2012.
- ^ “The psychology behind our collective Ebola freak-out”. Fortune.
- ^ “Utomi seeks law to protect widows’ rights in Nigeria as foundation empowers over 200”. December 13, 2021.
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See also – publications with Pius Utomi Ekpei’s images
[edit]
Category:1962 births
Category:photographers
Category:Nigerian photojournalists
Category:Nigerian photographers
