International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global celebration that honours the achievements and contributions of women in history as they advocate for progress towards a more equitable world. IWD also serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for gender equality and women’s rights.
Therefore, as the world celebrates the 2024 International Women’s Day today, March 8, New Telegraph has joined the rest of the world to celebrate women who have made a purposeful impact in the Nigerian entertainment industry over the years.
This write-up serves as an opportunity to raise awareness about gender equality issues and advocate for progress towards a more equitable world.
Top 20 Nigerian Female Celebrities In Entertainment Industry
Here is a carefully crafted top 20 list of powerful women who have made names for themselves in the Nigerian Entertainment Industry.
These women have not only excelled in their respective fields but have also played pivotal roles and over time become influential figures by breaking barriers and inspiring countless others in the world at large.
Their impact on Nigeria’s entertainment industry transcends borders, showcasing the diverse talent and creativity.
1. Jadesola Osiberu
Jadesola Osiberu is a Nigerian writer, film director, movie producer and founder of Greoh Studios who was born on August 18, 1985, hailed from Ibadan in Oyo State.
Jade Osiberu has over the years produced different sterling movies from Isoken (2017), Sugar Rush (2019), Brotherhood (2022) and Gangs of Lagos, the first Nigerian original film stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
In September 2022, Osiberu’s Greoh Studios signed a three-year deal with Amazon to develop and produce original scripted TV series and feature films.
She gained recognition for her work as the director of the critically acclaimed movie “Isoken,” which explored themes of societal expectations, relationships, and self-discovery.
Jadesola Osiberu’s impact extends beyond directing, as she has been a key figure in promoting quality content and pushing the boundaries of storytelling in Nollywood.
Her influence in the industry reflects a commitment to excellence and a dedication to showcasing the richness and complexity of Nigerian narratives on the global stage.
2. Kemi Adetiba
Kemi Adetiba is a multifaceted Nigerian talent who has made a name for herself as a filmmaker, television director and music video director with significant strides in the entertainment industry.
Born in Lagos State on January 8, 1980, with roots in Ekiti State, Adetiba started her career as a radio presenter at Silver Rhythm 93.7, she was the voice behind the radio hit shows named Soul’d Out and Sunday at the Seaside.
Kemi Adetiba later transitioned into filmmaking and directed her first directorial debut, “The Wedding Party,” which was a massive success and became one of the highest-grossing Nigerian films at the time with a whopping ₦453,000,000.
The record was broken in 2017 by its sequel ‘The Wedding Party 2’, in 2018, Kemi Adetiba released her most famous work of art ‘King of Boys’ which was listed as one of the top 10 movies of 2018 and grossed a total of N245 million naira.
The award-winning director crowned her masterpiece film with a seven-part series on Netflix as its sequel ‘The Return of the King’.
Kemi has won several awards, which include Best Female Video for the song “Ekundayo” by TY Bello at the Soundcity TV Music Video Awards, Best Female Video for the song “Today na Today” by Omawumi at the 2010 Nigeria Entertainment Awards, Won the City People Entertainment Award for Best Music Video Director Of The Year (2015) and the HNWOTY Award for Woman of the Year in Film and Television (2017).
She also won the 2021 African Entertainment Awards USA, for Best African Movie (King of Boys) with several nominations such as the Best Music Video Director of the Year at The Headies (2014) and On-Air-Personality of the Year award by The Future Nigeria Awards (nominated for five years)
Her impact extends beyond filmmaking, as she has broken barriers and inspired aspiring filmmakers, particularly women, to pursue their passion in the male-dominated industry.
3. Mo Abudu
Mosunmola Abudu, popularly known as Mo Abudu is a Nigerian media mogul, philanthropist, former Human Resources management consultant, and a prominent figure in the Nigerian entertainment industry.
Abudu who hails from Ondo Town, southwest Nigeria and was born September 11, 1964, in Hammersmith, West London. At the age of 7 Mosunmola Abudu moved to Nigeria to live with her grandparents, and later returned to England at the age of 11.
She attended the Ridgeway School, MidKent College, and West Kent College and has a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management from the University of Westminster in London. She received an honourary Doctor of Humane Letters (Honouris Causa) from Babcock University in 2014.
Abudu was awarded by the University of Westminster with an honourary doctorate degree of Doctor of Arts in 2018 in recognition of her contributions to the broadcasting industry in Nigeria.
Mo began her professional career in 1987 in Human Resources Development and programming, working in various firms in the United Kingdom. She worked at The Atlas Recruitment Consultancy Firm, Starform Communications and New Age Communications in 1993,
Mo moved back to Nigeria, where she worked as a full-time Head Of Human Resources at ExxonMobil for seven years. In March 2000, Abudu formed her own Human Resource firm, Vic Lawrence & Associates (VLA), which is still in existence.
Mo launched her media career in 2006 with Inspire Africa and the company’s first anchor project was a talk show, Moments with Mo, produced by Mo. She featured prominent people such as Hilary Clinton, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari. She was the CEO of the company for six years and a month.
Her breakthrough came in 2013 when she launched EbonyLife TV, Africa’s first international black entertainment network production value. It was in existence for seven years, from 2013 to 2020.
She has received various honours one of which is the Forbes Media Award for being the first African woman to start a Pan-African TV channel, the Women Werk Award for Entrepreneur of the Year in New York and rated as one of the “25 Most Powerful Women in Global Television” by The Hollywood Reporter.
Also, she was the first African to receive the MIPTV Médailles d’Honneur 2019 in France. Abudu was on the 2020 Powerlist of the top 100 most important individuals of African heritage in the United Kingdom.
Her dedication to creating opportunities for women in media and business aligns with her commitment to fostering positive change within the community.
4. Chimamanda Adichie
Chimamanda Adichie is a Nigerian writer whose works include novels, short stories and nonfiction. S
he was described in The Times Literary Supplement as “the most prominent” of a “procession of critically acclaimed young anglophone authors” of Nigerian fiction who are attracting a wider audience, particularly in her second home, the United States.
Adichie has written several novels which include Purple Hibiscus (2003), Half of a Yellow Sun (2006), and Americanah (2013), while her short stories are, the book-length essays We Should All Be Feminists (2014) and Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions (2017), and a memoir, Notes on Grief (2021).
In 2002, she was shortlisted for the Caine Prize for African Writing for her short story “You in America”, and “That Harmattan Morning” was selected as a joint winner of the 2002 BBC World Service Short Story Awards.
In 2003, she won the David T. Wong International Short Story Prize 2002/2003 (PEN Center Award). In 2008, she was awarded a MacArthur Genius Grant. That same year, she was also named the PEN Pinter Prize awarded by English PEN.
She was recognized as one of the BBC’s 100 Women of 2021. Her influence has inspired discussions on feminism and the complexities of identity, making her an important figure in shaping contemporary discourse.
5. Asisat Oshoala
Asisat Lamina Oshoala is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a striker for the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) club Bay FC and is the captain of the Nigerian women’s national team, Super Faclon.
Born on October 9, 1994, in Ikorodu, Lagos, Oshoala’s love for football began in secondary school. Although her parents kicked against her interest in sports because she was raised in a Muslim family, but had the support of her grandmother.
She began her career at the Nigerian lower division team, FC Robo right after completing her secondary education. She played there from 2009 to 2013 before transferring to Rivers Angels.
In 2014, Oshoala became the highest goal scorer at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup where she won the best player at the tournament, after which she was signed to Liverpool Ladies in January 2015 and by 2016 she had made nine appearances scoring three goals and becoming the first African to play in the Women’s Super League.
She won the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year Award in 2015. She became the first Nigerian and African player to score in three Women’s World Cups.
Asisat Oshoala is one of the most celebrated African female footballers of all time in history, having won African Women’s Footballer of the Year six times in a row and widely regarded as one of the greatest African female footballers of all time and one of the best in the world.
She was the first African player to score a goal in a UEFA Women’s Champions League final and has helped Barcelona reach the semi-finals for three consecutive years and one final.
Oshoala also received the Order of the Niger designation in September 2014 from former Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan. She is also an ambassador for the sports equipment manufacturer, Nike and was named on the Forbes’ Under 30 list in 2021.
She was named to FIFA’s technical advisory panel on the development and progress of women’s football in October 2021.
Her awards include; the Nigeria Women’s Championship (2014), Nigerian Women’s Cup, (2013, 2104), UEFA Women’s Champions League, (2020-2021), Supacopa de Espana Femenina,(2019-2020, 2021-2022), Queen of the Pitch Award, 2014, African Women’s Footballer of the Year (2014, 2016, 2017, 2019), FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Golden Boot,( 2014), FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Golden Ball, (2014).
6. Funke Akindele-Bello
Prolific Nollywood actress, filmmaker, producer, and politician, Funke Akindele was born August 24, 1977 in Ikorodu, Lagos State. Funke Akindele attended Grace Children School, Gbagada, before moving on to get her OND from Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, of which she furthered her education in the University of Lagos, where she studied Law.
Funke has not only made waves in the entertainment industry but has captured millions of people’s interest through her acting.
Funke Akindele rose to stardom in the sitcom “I Need to Know” from 1998 to 2002, and in 2009, she won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her role in Jenifa, which brought her to fame.
She reprised the role in a 2015 television series adaption titled Jenifa’s Diary, for which she was named the Best Actress in a Comedy at the 2016 and 2017 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA).
Funke won the same award in 2020 and 2022, making it her fifth win for the Best Actress in a Comedy category.
In 2021, Funke made a shocking N468,036,300 from her blockbuster movie “Omoghetto: The Saga,” becoming the highest-grossing movie of all time in Nigeria, breaking the four-year record of Kemi Adetiba’s movie titled ‘The Wedding Party.
However, in 2023, the mother of two joined politics by running alongside Dr Azeez Olajide Adediran (Jandor) as the Deputy Gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State but she lost.
Following the election outcome, Funke Akindele made a huge comeback with the highest-grossing movie blockbuster that broke the internet “The Tribe Called Judah” which set a new record, grossing N1 billion and becoming the first Nollywood film to gross that amount at the Box Office.
Released on December 15, 2023, has been a massive success, grossing over ₦613 million in just two weeks with the likes of Battle on Buka Street (2022), Chief Daddy, She Must Be Obeyed, Isoken, Your Excellency, Pretty Liars among others.
7. Genevieve Nnaji
Genevieve Nnaji is a veteran Nigerian actress, producer, and director who was born on May 3, 1979, in Mbaise, Imo State, but grew up in Lagos where she proceeded to the University of Lagos and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in creative arts.
Genevieve is one of the most influential and successful figures in the Nigerian film industry who has won several awards including the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2005, making her the first actor to win the award.
In 2011, she was honoured as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic by the Nigerian government for her contributions to Nollywood.
Her directorial debut movie in 2018, “Lionheart”, was the first Netflix film from Nigeria and the first Nigerian submission for the Oscars.
After a five-year hiatus from the screen, she makes a huge comeback with a movie titled “I Do Not Come To You By Chance,” the movie is a book adaptation of Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani’s award-winning debut novel which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2023 as part of the Centrepiece program, which showcases 47 titles from 45 different countries that represent contemporary achievements in global cinema.
It also won the 2010 Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best First Book (Africa) and the 2010 Betty Trask First Book Award. It was named by The Washington Post as one of the Best Books of the Year.
Her advocacy for women’s rights and empowerment has amplified voices and fostered positive change, creating opportunities for women in various domains. Genevieve’s influence has also extended globally, making her a distinguished ambassador for African cinema. Representing Nigeria and Africa at numerous film festivals and industry events.
8. Helen Paul
Helen Paul is a Nigerian stand-up comedian, singer, and actress, known as Tatafo, characterized by a voice range that makes her sound like a child.
Born on May 1, 1983, in Lagos State, Helen who hails from Edo State holds a Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in Theater Arts from the University of Lagos. She also holds a Media Enterprise Certificate from the School of Media and Communications and is currently undergoing PhD degree in Theater Arts.
Helen rose to fame as a naughty comic character on the radio program Wetin Dey on Radio Continental 102.3FM, Lagos. She was known on the programme as “Tatafo”, a witty kid who addresses and lampoons societal issues in a satirical manner. She also presented programmes on TVC and Naija FM 102.7.
Her first job in the entertainment industry was as a front desk manager and a back-up artist at Eko Reelmix Studios. She also worked and served as a freelance and full-time presenter at several media houses in Nigeria which include Lagos Television (LTV 8), Continental Broadcasting Service (CBS), and M-Net (where she currently co-presents JARA on Africa Magic).
In 2012 she bagged the Comedian of the Year award at the African Film Awards and also with the Female TV Presenter of the Year in the Exquisite Lady of the Year Awards. That same year, she released her debut album titled “Welcome Party”.
She has starred in a number of films including “The Return of Jenifa” (2011) in 2011, and “A Wish” (2022) and he has also written a number of short stories and plays including “Life Burial” which was released in 2015.
In 2014 she opened a film and theatre academy called “Helen Paul Theater and Film Academy” which consists of a dance studio, a makeup studio, a recording studio, a rehearsal studio, a photo studio, a mainly digital library, an editing studio, and a hostel for students. She also owns a bridal and fabric boutique in Nigeria called “Massive Fabrics and Bridals”.
In 2022, Helen was announced as the Head of Department (HOD) of the Arts, Music, and Entertainment department at Heart International University in the United States.
9. Mary Njoku
Mary Remmy Njoku is a Nigerian actress, producer, content creator and founder of the ROK TV Channels and CEO of ROK Studios, which she founded in 2013.
She was born on March 30, 1985, in Mile 2 Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos State, where she had her primary school education. Mary who hails from Nsukka, Enugu State studies English Language at Lagos State University (LASU). She also attended the London Film Academy in the United Kingdom (UK), where she took a course in Producing: ‘Movie Magic Budgeting & Schedule.’
She came to the limelight after featuring in a Nollywood blockbuster, ‘Blackberry Babes‘ in 2011. In 2015, she became Chief Content Officer at IROKO Partners. In the same year, she held the first world premiere for her film, ‘Thy Will Be Done’ at the BFI IMAX London, the first-ever Nollywood film premiere in IMAX.
With a catalogue of over three thousand (3000) hours of original content produced, including movies and TV series, ROK has in a short span become a leading producer of family-friendly content and entertainment across the countries.
Njoku has overseen the growth of ROK with its first channel, ROK on Sky launched in 2016 in the United Kingdom (UK). She subsequently launched ROK on DSTV, a network airing across Africa, in the same year.
In April 2018, Njoku launched two new Pan-African channels, ROK2 and ROK3, as well as ROKGH for Ghanaian viewers.
10. Tobi Amusan
Oluwatobiloba Amusan is a track and field athlete who specialises in 100-metre hurdles. In 2022, she became the first ever Nigerian to hold the world champion and world record title in an athletic event after winning a gold medal at the World Championships 100m hurdles, setting the current world record of 12.12 seconds in the semi-final.
She broke the previous record of 12.20 seconds set in 2016 by an American athlete, Kendra Harrison, at the competition held in Oregon, USA. In June of that same year, Amusan defended her 100m hurdles title at the African Championships in Mauritius, with a time of 12.57 seconds.
She also competed in the women’s 4×100m relay to earn a second gold medal.
In August, during the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom, Amusan successfully defended her title, winning her second consecutive gold medal in the 100m hurdles with a new game record of 12.30 seconds.
She also helped power Nigeria’s women’s 4 × 100 m relay team to gold. She competed in her specialist event at the Lausanne Diamond Race meet later that month, finishing second with a time of 12.60 seconds, behind reigning Olympic champion and Puerto Rican, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn.
Amusan wrapped up a successful 2022 by winning the 100m hurdles at the Zürich Diamond League final event with a 12.29s performance to retain her title. She finished ahead of other renowned athletes, Tia Jones, Britany Anderson and Camacho-Quinn, setting a new record in the process.
To confirm her trailblazing status, she was named the Confederation of African Athletics Female Athlete of the Year in 2022.
11. Tiwa Savage
Another lady who has made waves in the entertainment industry is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and Actress, Tiwatope Omolara Savage, popularly known as Tiwa Savage, who has often been called the Queen of Afrobeats.
Tiwa was born, on February 5, 1980, in Ikeja, the capital of Lagos State. However, the music star relocated to London at the age of 11 for her secondary education. Five years later, she began her music career doing backup vocals for artists such as George Michael and Mary J. Blige.
After participating in the UK edition of The X Factor and graduating from Berklee College of Music, Savage signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing in 2009. Inspired by the growth of the Nigerian music industry, Savage moved back to Nigeria and signed with Mavin Records in 2012.
Tiwa Savage has earned numerous accolades for her work as a singer including the distinction of being the first woman to win the Best African Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2018.
She has also received one MTV Africa Music Award for Best Female (2014) two Headies Awards,(2012,2014) two City People Entertainment Awards, Two ‘Channel O Music Video Awards’ (2012, 2014), and one ‘Nigeria Music Video Award’ for ‘Best Highlife’ (2012). She was also nominated for a ‘BET Award’ for ‘Best International Act: Africa’ in 2014.
Her music has also gained international recognition, as she has collaborated with several international artists, including Beyoncé, and Coldplay among others.
In May 2023, Tiwa Savage made history as the first Nigerian artist to perform at King Charles III’s coronation ceremony.
12. Onyeka Onwenu
Onyeka Onwenu is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, actress, human rights and social activist, journalist, politician, and former X Factor series judge. Dubbed the “Elegant Stallion” by the Nigerian press, she is a former chairperson of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture.
In 2013 she was appointed the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Women Development. Onyeka was also a former member of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) board.
She has also worked as a TV presenter, hosting the shows Contact in 1988, and Who’s On? in 1993 both on NTA Network.
She began her recording career in 1981 while still with the NTA, releasing the album For the Love of You, a pop album which featured an orchestral cover of Johnny Nash’s “Hold Me Tight”, produced by Berkley Jones.
Her second album which was titled, “Endless Life”, was produced by Sonny Okosun, and included another cover – the Everley Brothers’ “Walk Right Back”. Both records were released under the EMI label and later went into acting.
13. Tems
Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer, Temilade Openiyi better known as Tems, is another prominent artist that has made waves in the entertainment industry.
The 27-year-old singer who hails from Oyo State, was born to a Nigerian mother and a British Father on June 11, 1995, after graduating from secondary school at Dowen’s College, Lagos. Tems left Nigeria for South Africa for her tertiary education, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Johannesburg.
In 2018, Tems began her music career after quitting her job as she began to learn self-production skills on YouTube that same year in July, she released her debut single, “Mr Rebel”, a song which she produced by herself.
However, the music star rose to prominence after being featured on Wizkid’s 2020 single,” which peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart following the release of the remix version with Justin Bieber.
Tems was featured alongside Drake on American rapper Future’s single, “Wait for U”, in April 2022 from the latter’s ninth studio album, I Never Liked You. The song debuted atop the Hot 100, making Tems the first African female artist to top the chart and more so debut atop the chart. The song samples the song “Higher” from For Broken Ears.
In 2023, Tems won the Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance for “Wait for U.” Thus, it marks the first female Nigerian artiste to win a Grammy Award.
Tems also won a Best Melodic Rap Performance Grammy for her collaboration on “Wait For U” with Future and Drake. That same month, she won the Female MVP award at the Soundcity MVP Awards held at the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos.
In March 2024, Tems became the first African singer to be awarded a Billboard Women in Music Award which she received under the Breakthrough category.
14. Yemi Alade
Yemi Eberechi Alade, better known as Yemi Alade, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, actress and activist. Her music is a mixture of Afropop, highlife, dancehall, pop and R&B, and has been of influence in several countries across Africa.
She was born on 13 March 1989 in Abia State and attended the St Saviour British Primary School and Victory Grammer School in Lagos, after which she went to the University of Lagos to study Geography.
Yemi Alade rose to fame after she won the Peak Talent Show in 2009. In 2013 she was awarded the ELOY Award and was later signed to Effyzzie Music Group, and had a hit with her single “Johnny” in 2014.
In 2015, she won the Best Female award at the MTV African Music Awards, following the releases of her albums King of Queens and Mama Africa, Alade embarked on world tours consecutively.
In 2016, she debuted on Billboard as No. 4 on the “Next Big Sound” Chart She won the MTV African Music Awards for Best Female in 2015 and 2016 consecutively and was nominated for Artiste of the Year in 2015, making her the first Female to win the MAMAs for Best female consecutively twice and nominated for Artiste of the Year.
She is amongst the first Nigerian artists to launch her own mobile app as she continued to break boundaries in the male-dominated music industry.
In 2024, Yemi Alade performed at the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) opening ceremony in Ivory Coast.
15. Hilda Baci
Hilda Effiong Bassey better known as Hilda Baci is a Nigerian chef, restaurateur, actress, and the former Guinness World Record holder.
Hilda who hails from Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, was born on September 20, 1996 and graduated with a degree in sociology from Madonna University in Okija, Anambra State.
Hilda started as a culinary chef, embarking on a culinary education program, after drawing inspiration from her mother. She went from being an upcoming actress, TV host, and chef to becoming a Guinness World Record holder.
In March 2023, Baci announced she would be attempting the record for the longest cooking marathon which was previously held by Lata Tondon whose cooking marathon lasted for 87 hours, 45 minutes in 2019.
She started her record attempt titled “Cook-a-thon” in March and by May 15 she broke the record as the organiser of the world record announced her on their website as the current holder of the record.
At exactly 7:45 am, Hilda broke the record for the longest cooking marathon by any individual hitting 87 hours 50 minutes above the previous record holder in 2019.
Her emergence as a world record holder soon led to the contest’s popularity, making many people worldwide try to beat her record and take over. She also popularised the ‘cookathon’ term, with many world record hopefuls tagging their attempts.
16. Emem Isong
Emem Isong is an award-winning Nigerian filmmaker, screenwriter, and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Royal Arts Academy.
Emem who hails from Ikono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, was born September 5 and graduated from the University of Calabar where she studied Theatre Arts.
Her career in filmmaking started when she wrote and co-produced the movie Jezebel in 1994. In 1996, she produced and independently funded her first movie, Breaking Point. After the successful production of her debut movie, Remmy Jez employed her as a movie producer between 2000 and 2007.
Isong has spent nearly 30 years in Nollywood and has left her mark in many areas of filmmaking. She has over 40 films under her belt as a producer, screenwriter, and director.
In 2010, Emem Isong established her film academy called “The Royal Arts Academy” in Surulere, Lagos. Royal Arts Academy is a media school created to empower the Nigerian youth.
The Academy tends to achieve this feat by teaching talented aspiring young people how to act, write scripts, and edit movies.
The academy has provided several award-winning movies and is regarded as one of the purveyors of the new Nigerian movie industry which has favoured more cinema releases than home video, which was previously practiced.
Emem Isong pioneered the production of Ibibio-speaking movies. Some such movies include Mfana Ibagha, Ekaette, Uyai, Edikan, and Uduakobong.
17. Mildred Okwo
Mildred Okwo is another Nigerian filmmaker, director and producer who has been nominated for the Best Director award at the 4th Africa Movie Academy Awards.
Born on April 29, 1966, in Lagos, Mildred who hails from Benin, studied Theater Arts at the University of Benin, after which she went to the Whittier Law School, Orange County, California, USA to study Law.
Okwo’s films have been nominated and won several prestigious awards in Africa including AMVCA, AMAA, NMA and “Publix du Prix” at Nollywood Paris.
In 2006, after her return to Nigeria, she wrote, co-produced and directed her film ‘30 Days’, which was released in the US on April 30, 2006.
It received 10 nominations at the 2008 Africa Movie Academy Awards including Best Art Direction, Best Screen Play, Best Cinematography and Best Picture.
She directed the romance comedy-drama film in 2012, “The Meeting” which won several awards including Nigeria Entertainment Awards, Africa Movie Academy Awards and Nollywood Movies Awards.
In 2016, She was named one of “50 Women Shaping Africa” by Elle Magazine and 100 Most Influential People in Nigeria by Y’Naija.com
Okwo alongside other Nollywood practitioners founded the Nigerian Oscars Selection Committee (NOSC) and was approved by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to screen Nigerian films to be submitted for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Academy Awards.
18. Mercy Johnson-Okojie
Popular Nollywood actress, filmmaker and producer, Mercy Johnson Okojie, is an ace Nollywood actress, who has made a name for herself on the movie screen with her exceptional acting skills.
Mercy rose to stardom after auditioning for a role in The Maid and subsequently acted in other movies such as Hustlers, Baby Oku in America, and War in the Palace, amongst thousands of others.
In 2009, she won an award for Best Supporting Actress at the 2009 African Movie Award ceremony for her performance in the movie “Live to Remember”, and a Best Actress award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards for her role in the comedy movie Dumebi the Dirty Girl.
In December 2011, she was listed as Google’s most searched Nigerian celebrity, a position she also held in 2012. She was the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Kogi State Governor on entertainment, arts and culture.
Her versatility and ability to portray diverse roles have made her a beloved figure in Nollywood, contributing significantly to the industry’s growth.
19. Chineze Anyaene
Chineze Anyaene is a Nigerian filmmaker and movie producer best known for her 2010 critically acclaimed movie, Ijé (The Journey).
She was born and raised in Abuja on December 28, 1983. Chineze obtained her B. A in Theatre Art from the prestigious University of Abuja, Nigeria. In 2005, she moved to the United States where she obtained a master’s degree in Directing at the New York Film Academy (NYFA).
Chineze Anyaene is a filmmaker with a passion and drive for telling stories with thorough cinematic interpretation benchmarked on the acclaimed international technical standard.
Founder/CEO of Xandria Productions, a fully integrated studio which specializes in the production, acquisition, and distribution of theatrical motion pictures within Africa and the international film market.
Chineze Anyaene constituted the Nigerian Oscar Selection Committee (NOSC) and received approval from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2012 as the Nigerian organization approved to submit and represent the country’s feature film entry in the International Feature Film (IFF) category; the committee for which she was chairperson was approved for a running tenure of 5 years.
The re-committee was re-approved in 2019 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards with her still as Chairperson of the 12-man committee. In 2019 the committee submitted the Nigerian first entry for the Oscars for the Best International Feature Film category formerly called the Best Foreign Language category.
Chineze has won several notable awards in the industry within and globally, which include; the Award of Excellence at the Canada International Film Festival, The Golden Ace Award at the Las Vegas International Film Festival, and The Silver Palm Award at the Mexico International Film Festival, among others.
20. Oreka Godis
Oreka Godis is a Nigerian media personnel, multiple award-winning Actor, Radio and TV Presenter, Podcaster, Producer and Writer.
Oreka, who hails from Kogi State, launched The Beat 99.9FM Lagos in 2009, where she produced and anchored a much loved 6-11 AM breakfast show: The Morning Rush. She launched her TV career on NTA as presenter of the Coca-Cola Open Up For Happiness show.
She is a confident speaker who has performed Master of Ceremony duties for many private and public events including The Asian Banker Awards, Samsung mobile launch, LAIF Awards, The Lynxxx & friends: Pepsi Nigeria Campus Tour, YNaija Magazine Launch, Naija #TagParty.
Her influence in the media space reflects her commitment to promoting diverse voices and narratives.