Nollywood’s global rise relies on brilliant behind-the-scenes creatives—directors, producers, and technicians. In this article, we list seven Nollywood crew members behind some of the best Nollywood films, who play a vital role in the production of our favourite movies. Some of these individuals have been in the industry for decades and are award-winning creatives.
- Tope Adebayo
Tope Adebayo is a film director who started his career as an actor before pivoting into directing. He is the co-director behind films like “Efunroye: The Unicorn,” “Warlord:Olori Ogun,” and “Eleko (Oba Esungbayi).” He is notable for his precision in Yoruba epic films.
- Emmanuel Igbeleke
Emmanuel Igbeleke is a Nigerian cinematographer, editor and colourist known for his work in the Nollywood film industry. He has worked on projects like “Ajosepo,” “Seven and a Half Dates,” and “A Handsome Mind.” Emmanuel has also been nominated by the AMVCA for his work on “Gingerrr” for Best Cinematography and Best Cinematography for “The Herd.”
- Yolanda Okereke
Yolanda Okereke is a fashion engineer and costume designer known for her exemplary styling in Nollywood films. She is known for her styling and costume work on “Something About The Briggs,” “The Meeting,” and “All’s Fair In Love.” Yolanda is a four-time AMVCA Award nominee for her costume design skills, for films including “King of Boys” and “Something About The Briggs.”
- Tolu Obanro
Tolu Obanro is a sound designer and film composer popularly known as Tyanx. He is notable for creating masterful soundscapes, background scores, and audio mixing to set the mood and heighten the tension in major cinematic releases. He has created background scores for films like “Jagun Jagun,” “Gangs of Lagos,” and “A Tribe Called Judah.”
- Bunmi Ajamolaya
Bunmi Ajamolaya is a highly acclaimed Nigerian art director and production designer who is well-known for her work with Anthill Studios. She is an award-winning production designer, having recently won Best Art Direction alongside Yakub Oladejo at the 2026 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards for her work on “Colours of Fire.”
- Hakeem Onilogbo
Hakeem Onilogbo is an award-winning Nollywood make-up and special effects artist who is notable for his exceptional work in films like “King of Boys, “Anikulapo,” “The Milkmaid,” amongst others. Hakeem is a two-time AMVCA nominee and the winner for “Best Make-Up” at the 2020 AMVCA for his work on “The Milkmaid.”
- Adebayo Tijani
Adebayo Tijani is a veteran Nigerian filmmaker and director who works closely with producers and directors to ensure that rich cultural narratives and historical epics are flawlessly translated to the screen. Some of the films he has worked on are “Ageshinkole 2”, “Iyalode”, and “Her Excellency.” He is an award-nominated director.
