Although some critics say Iwájú is flawed, they also point to the inventiveness of the series, which reportedly marks the first time the Disney+ streaming platform has collaborated with an external production company.
The company in question is Kugali, an outfit led by three friends from Nigeria and Uganda who want to boost the representation of African animation and graphic novels.
Iwájú, their newest creation, centres on Tola, a young girl navigating a sci-fi version of Nigerian megacity Lagos. Luxury cars fly over the city’s markets, supervillains are armed with bionic arms and AI pets are a must-have item.
After the series was launched on Wednesday, UK newspaper the Guardian gave it a four-star rating, calling it a “delightful coming-of-age adventure” that is “an encouraging step into a bold and brilliant future”.
US entertainment site Screengrab also criticised the show’s pacing, as well as its character development.
But “top-notch animation” distracts from these issues, it says.
Screengrab awarded Iwájú three-and-a-half stars, saying: “The exploration of economic inequality through its characters is multifaceted.
“Not everyone is able to utilize the same amount of technology, something touched upon by the show’s story.”
Despite Iwájú receiving largely positive reviews from critics, several Nigerians have complained on social media that although the show focuses on Nigeria, they cannot watch it as Disney+ is not available in their country.
After initially announcing that Iwájú would stream exclusively on Disney+, the company said Nigerians who subscribe to DSTV would be able to watch the show on the Disney Channel, where it will air in late April and early May, Nigerian media reports say.
In other reviews, ABC News in Australia says: “Iwájú is both uniquely African, and yet universal in its appeal… every intricate detail has been thought of.” Elsewhere, US news website Mashable says the “gorgeous” show “dreams up some seriously covetable gadgets”.
Following Iwájú’s release, social media users that could access the show were also largely positive, calling it “an instant classic” and “authentic”.
Nigeria’s culture minster is among Iwájú’s fans. At the show’s premiere in Lagos, Hannatu Musawa said: “This is huge for Nigeria because at last we now have our own stories being told from our own perspective.”
Disney first approached London-based Kugali to collaborate after the start-up was interviewed by BBC News in 2019.
Last week, in a short documentary about the making of Iwájú, Mr Ibrahim recounted that first interaction with Disney.
“You just called them out,” he says. “Then someone reaches out saying: ‘Hi’ – that they’re from Disney – ‘want to talk?'”