Nollywood churns out great actresses in every generation, but some of the greatest actresses out of Nollywood have been in the industry for a decade or two. In this article, we list your ten favorite actresses in the Nollywood space.
- Funke Akindele
Funke Akindele is one of Nollywood’s major players, and her career dates back to 1998. As an actress, director, and producer, Funke has broken box-office records in Nigeria and is one of the most notable Nollywood presences in West Africa.
Funke’s earliest notable role was in the movie “Egg of Life,” with some of her most prominent roles being in “Jenifa,” “Omo Ghetto,” “Isoken,” and “Everybody Loves Jenifa.” Her most recent role was in the movie “Behind the Scenes.”
- Toyin Abraham
Toyin Abraham is a filmmaker, actress, and director with a career spanning over two decades. She is one of the industry’s monumental figures of her generation and has featured in movies that have either broken or set new records.
Her career started in 2003, and her most notable role in the early years was in “Alani Baba Labake,” after which she gained prominence in “Alakada” and “Alakada Reloaded.” Her most recent is in the movie “Oversabi Aunty.”
- 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, and director, and she has such a strong filmography.
Her career started in 1998; she has appeared in big productions such as “Merry Men 3”, “Gangs Of Lagos”, and her 2025 film “Labake Olododo.” Her most recent role was in the movie “Behind The Scenes,” and she was recently announced as one of the cast of the adaptation of the best-selling Nigerian book “The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives.”
- Bisola Aiyeola
Bisola Aiyeola is one of the most notable names in acting, especially for her portrayal of the perfect woman in romantic roles, and has been in the industry since 2014. She has featured in several star-studded movies, all of which have helped build her acting skills. Her most prominent roles so far include “Breaded Life”, “Castle and Castle”, “Muri & Co”, and “Sista”.
Bisola’s most recent roles are in “Ginger” and “Everybody Loves Jenifa.”
- Osas Ighodaro
Osas Ighodaro is an old name in the industry, with a career that began in 2003, when she was still in her teens, and has continued to evolve.
Osas has been in big movie productions that have made her a household name, and some of her most notable roles being “Bling Lagosians,” “Namaste Wahala,” “Rattlesnake,” and “Olufemi.” Osas’s most recent performances were in “3 Cold Dishes,” which premiered internationally before being released in Nigerian cinemas in 2025, and “Colors of Fire.”
- Mercy Aigbe
Mercy Aigbe is an actress who has grown so much in her craft and has even directed and produced her own movies. She is one of the most famous and successful actors in the Nollywood industry, and while she has been in the industry for more than two decades, she has continued to appear in blockbusters in this decade. Some of her prominent roles of the 2020s are in “Ada Omo Daddy”, “Omo Ghetto”, “Brotherhood”, and Swallow”.
Her most recent roles and most loved roles were in the movies “The Farmer’s Bride,” “Everything is New Again,” and “My Mother is a Witch.”
- Nancy Isime
Nancy Isime is one of the most notable actors in her generation and in this decade. Her career began in 2011, and she has played several roles that have made her a household name.
Some of her most notable roles in this decade are in “Blood Sisters,” “Shanty Town,” “Hijack 23,” and “Everybody Loves Jenifa.” Her most recent works are in the movies “Aso Ebi Diaries” and “Radio Voice.” However, the role of “Hijack 23” is what secured Nancy’s position as one of the most influential actresses of her generation.
- Bimbo Ademoye
Bimbo Ademoye is an award-winning Nigerian actress who began her acting career over a decade ago, in a short film titled “Where Talent Lies,” and has a career spanning over a decade. Bimbo Ademoye has featured in leading Nollywood movies like Sugar Rush, Reel Love, Breaded Life, with some of her most prominent roles being in “Cash Daddy,” and “Anikulapo.” Her most recent role was in “Where Love Lives,” a movie released on YouTube.
- 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”.
Her most recent works are “Owambe Thieves”, and “Anikulapo”, which is also one of her most prominent roles to date, alongside her acting in “The Wedding Party” and “King Of Boys.”
- Kehinde Bankole
Kehinde Bankole is an actress, model, and TV host who has been in the industry since 2003, spanning over two decades. One of her first notable roles was in the movie “Two Brides And A Baby,” which was quickly followed by “The Return of Jenifa.”
Kehinde has always chosen diverse roles that show off her talent, with some of her most prominent roles in this decade being in “Blood Sisters,” “Funmilayo Ransome Kuti,” and “Iwaju.” Her most recent role was in the movie “The Party,” and she was recently announced as the lead in a Yoruba remake of “Macbeth.”
