The Nigerian movie industry has several prominent names who are the Nollywood powerhouses of the industry and whose feats have changed the way the industry operates, from actors, to filmmakers, to directors and screenwriters, these names have revolutionized the industry.
In this article, we list out some of these Nollywood powerhouses.
- Funke Akindele
Funke Akindele is one of the major players in the Nollywood space, and her career started as far back as 1998. Her movies have broken several box office records in Nigeria and she is one of the highest earners in the Nollywood industry.
Funke is not just an actress, but also a producer and a director.
- Mo Abudu
Mosunmola Abudu, popularly known as Mo Abudu is known as one of the Nollywood powerhouses. While her career path did not start in nollywood but in the HR department but she later went on to create her show “Moments with Mo” which she produced and directed and later founded Ebonylife Television, a major lifestyle network.
Ebonylife includes Ebonylife film, Ebonylife studios and they have produced big movies such as “blood sisters”, “The wedding party 2”, “Chief Daddy” and “Your Excellency.”
- Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD)
Richard Evans Mofe-Damijo, popularly known as RMD is a powerhouse Nigerian actor, writer, producer, lawyer and a former journalist. His career started in the 1980s and he has received a lifetime award for his acting in 2016 and he has been in big productions like “30 Days In Atlanta”, “The Wedding Party” “The Wedding Party 2.”
- Odunlade Adekola
Odunlade Adekola is a Nigerian actor, director, producer and filmmaker. He first gained popularity in the 2003 movie “Asiri Gomina Wa” and he has been in the industry since 1996.
He is the founder and CEO of Odunlade Adekola Film Production(OAFP).
- Iyabo Ojo
Alice Iyabo Ojo is one of the major powerhouses in the Nigerian film industry, especially in the Yoruba movie space. She is an actress, producer, director and she has such a strong filmography.
Her career started in 1998, she has been in big productions like “Merry Men 3” “Gangs Of Lagos” and her 2025 film Labake Olododo.
- Femi Adebayo
Femi Adebayo Salami is a Nigerian film maker, director, actor and producer and he comes from a generation of actors, as he is the son of Nollywood actor Adebayo Salami, who is also a prominent name in the industry.
The Nollywood’s powerhouse career started in 1985 and since then he has starred in huge productions and is a powerhouse especially in the Yoruba film scene. Some of the big films he has been in are “Jelili” “October 1st” and King of Thieves”
- Sola Sobowale
Sola Sobowale is a Nigerian film actress, screenwriter, film director and producer. Her career started in 1998 and she got her big break in 2001 with the premiere of one of the most popular Nigerian television drama series “Super Story: Oh Father, Oh Daughter”
She is well known for her prominent roles in “The Wedding Party” “King Of Boys” and “Shanty Town”.
- Kemi Adetiba
Kemi Adetiba is a Nigerian filmmaker, television director and music video director, she has made huge contributions to nollywood’s growth and the development of well rounded shows and movies, some of which are on Netflix.
A few of her prominent works are “King of Boys”, “The Wedding Party”, and her most recent work “To Kill A Monkey”.
- Jade Osiberu
Jade Osiberu is a Nigerian writer, director, producer and also the founder of Greoh Studios. Jade is popularly known for her movies “Isoken”, “Brotherhood”, Sugar Rush and “Gangs of Lagos.”
Her movie Gangs of Lagos was the first Nigerian original film to stream exclusively to Amazon Prime.
- Kunle Afolayan
Kunle Afolayan is an actor, film director, and producer and is popularly known for his impact in the elevation of quality of Nollywood movies through his use of larger budgets, releasing in cinemas and creating better storylines for his audience.
Some of his directing credits include “October 1”, “Citation” and “The Figurine”
His career started as far back as 1999.
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