American Cola Club Talent has returned for its second season, with a new campaign encouraging Nigerian creatives and young people to put their abilities in front of a wider audience. The 2026 edition, titled “Make Dem See”, opens for entries on November 6, 2026, and offers a cash prize of ₦2 million alongside media exposure and funding for a community project.
The competition follows its first season in 2025, which used the theme “Show Your Flow” to bring together emerging talent from different creative and sporting fields. Participants included rappers, dancers, street artists, disc jockeys, basketball players, skateboarders and BMX riders. After five weeks of competition, 10 finalists emerged, with DJ Mafdee Bitrus Moses Bugama taking the overall title.
Mafdee, who performs as a DJ and had spent 14 years developing his craft, received ₦1.5 million in prize money. His other rewards included a year of music streaming, a year’s supply of American Cola, media interviews and a community impact project fully funded by the brand.
Temz BusyTm, known on Instagram as @temz_the_dj, finished as first runner-up, while dancer Adetutu (@_therealadetutu) placed second.
The competition also highlighted the effort contestants put into building support for their entries. During the public voting stage, Mafdee reportedly approached people individually to ask for their votes, taking advantage of the competition’s rule allowing one vote per person each day.
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For the second season, American Cola is shifting the message from simply demonstrating talent to attracting the attention and recognition that emerging creatives often struggle to find. The “Make Dem See” campaign is built around the idea that many talented people already have the skills and experience to succeed, but lack access to platforms that can help them reach a larger audience.
The campaign film features four creators working across dance, skating, DJing and street art. Their stories reflect the challenges faced by young people who have spent years developing their abilities but are still waiting for opportunities to showcase their work to a wider public.
The rewards have also increased compared with the first season. The overall winner will receive ₦2 million in cash, as well as a community impact project in their city funded by American Cola. The project carries an additional stated value of ₦2 million. The winner will also receive media features and interviews on national platforms, a year’s supply of American Cola, medals and other gifts.
Runners-up will also receive cash prizes of ₦200,000, alongside gift items.
Entries are open to people who want to showcase their skills through short-form video. Applicants are required to record a vertical video of themselves demonstrating their talent, with the video lasting between 40 and 60 seconds. They can then publish their entries on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok, tag American Cola in the video and use the campaign hashtags #MakeDemSee and #AmericanColaClubTalent.
Participants are encouraged to prepare their supporters for the voting stage and follow @americancolanigeria on social media for further information about the competition.
The entry requirements do not specify a need for professional management, an established social media following or industry connections. This allows emerging creatives to participate by submitting videos that demonstrate their abilities.
With its second season, American Cola Club Talent is seeking to build on the attention generated by its inaugural competition while offering a larger financial reward and support for a community-based project. For young Nigerians working in creative and sporting fields, the competition provides an opportunity to present their work to a wider audience and compete for financial and professional recognition.
