CONTENT CREATORS (INSTAGRAM/TIKTOK)

Lawal Michael Bolaji Nasiru: From around 5000 followers to 421,000 followers in just a year, this Instagram influencer shot to the top by having the bright idea to comically impersonate one of Nigeria’s biggest music artists; Davido. Donning the moniker Low Budget Obo, Lawal was able to win the hearts of fans over, and the rest is history. Since gaining fame, he has evolved from impersonation to full out content creation complete with character diversification and collaborations with other big-name influencers. He has also become a brand favourite, as he can be seen creating creative ads for brands every other week.

Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Ejekwu: Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Ejekwu is a comedian who shot to the top last year when bloggers started reposting his skits at every given turn and giving this comedic genius the much-needed fame that may have been eluding him. His character Sabinus: with his blue shirt, crooked tie, and nack for nosing into other people’s business, a character who is also known for making hilariously terrible decisions, has become one of Instagram’s most recognisable characters.

Aloma Isaac: Another content creator who shot to fame with the creation of a comedic persona. Aloma Isaac or Zicsaloma, as he is popularly known, is a comedian who has experienced meteoric growth in his followership over the past year. His character Sister Ekwitos is arguably one of the most annoying yet funny characters online. Reminiscent of those hypocritical, judgmental, nose poking, church-going, lifestyle policing, know-it-all village aunties, Sister Ekwitos is simply someone that you can’t help but laugh when you see her pop up. Zicsaloma also has another character, Mama Desmond, a woman who is ever pregnant, she too shares characteristics with Ekwitos and together, they have shot Zicsaloma to a little over 800,000 Instagram followers.

Enioluwa Adeoluwa: Enioluwa Adeoluwa popularly known as a male beauty enthusiast, is a fast-rising Instagram influencer, who focuses on beauty, relationship advice, and advocacy for the male child. Between all three niches, it’s difficult to say which one shot him from a few 1000 followers to 200,000 within a few months. It’s also difficult to determine which one makes him trend, from his thought-provoking PSAs on the male child to his hilarious advice on relationships, to his beauty tips, Enioluwa has created a brand for himself that is rather unorthodox and refreshing.

Ukonu Ogechi: If you’ve ever heard or used the phrase ‘e dey shake’ you have this influencer to thank for that. Known for her wild gyrating, multicoloured bonnet, and hysteric rants, Ukoni Ogechi, popularly known as Caramel Plug or Chief President of Cruise Nation, has become one of Nigeria’s most popular Instagram Influencers. Nearing a million followers on Instagram with engagement averaging 500,000 views, she has become a highly sought after brand ambassador, representing brands ranging from beauty brands to Fintech brands.

Ezeani Chinaza: With a passion for film and a talent for reenactment, Ezeani Chinaza known online as Miss Ezeani became an internet sensation after videos of her reenactments comparing movie scenes of local movies to foreign movies, particularly Indian and American films. The accuracy of her skits is precisely what makes them funny, as she is able to draw out the absurdity in the way these cultures create movies. She is also a very skilled video editor, entrepreneur, actress and movie influencer.

Chinonso Ukah: Chinonso Ukah popularly known as Ada Jesus or Nons Miraj is a content creator, compere, and brand influencer, among other things. Over the previous year, she has experienced a rise in her followership and engagement on Instagram, and it’s thanks to the numerous times her skits have gone viral. Her style of comedy is rather unconventional and makes use of a lot of special effects. She normally portrays the character Ada Jesus, who despite the name is anything but Christian. She is a no-nonsense middle-aged woman who has a lot of mystic abilities at her disposal. With the ability to make things or people disappear or change the make-up of any matter, you can expect that this character is one to get into a number of hilarious circumstances. Chinonso Ukah has experienced a very successful year when it comes to brand ambassadorship.

Okuneye Idris Olarenwaju: Arguably one of Nigeria most controversial media personalities Okuneye Idris Olarenwaju, popularly known as Bobrisky is an entertainer and social media star who gained a lot of notoriety from her less non-conventional opinions on numerous subjects. She is known to tell it as it is, regardless of how anyone may feel, she is also the spearhead for fighting the status quo, and empowering the non-binary movement. Her brand revolves around beauty, lifestyle, women’s advocacy in her own unique way – and comic relief. She is a highly influential figure with the ability to shape trends and change people’ opinions, and with a legion of 4 million IG followers, you would be asking for trouble if you mess with her.

Lasisi Elenu: One of the funniest men on Instagram in Nigeria, Lasisi Elenu has created hilarious characters to tell stories addressing social issues. One moment, he is a charge and bail lawyer, the next he is playing your typical Nigerian mother, the next he is an internet fraudster. His acting is so good that last year he pivoted into acting starring in a feature-length movie; The Razz Guy. He is a compere, an actor, and a content creator whose following on Instagram seems to grow in the tens of thousands every year.

Denola Adepetun Grey: There are not very many people in the media world or the entire country as a whole that can say that they are as bold, original, ingenious and elegant as this awe-inspiring fashionista is. He is a style blogger who runs his own fashion/lifestyle blog site. He also runs his own consulting agency: Denola Grey Consulting.

Gloria Oloruntobi: Gloria Oloruntobi popularly known as Maraji was one of the first females to truly get into the business of Instagram skits in Nigeria, dating as far back as 2013, back when she was in school. Almost a decade later, she still remains relevant, and top of the pack, managing to this day to consistently deliver high-quality, creative content. Her ability to portray numerous characters hilariously is still one of the best in the game, and for this, she continues to be one of the most sought after influencers on Instagram.

Ikorodu Bois: They can also be described as funny, creative and humble. With a content niche that focuses on using local props and costumes to reenact viral trends, anything from movie premiers to movie scenes, to viral videos online, to music videos and more, this group of teenage boys have managed to not only grab the attention of the continent but also the attention of the world. For their work, they have been mentioned by names like Will Smith, Alvaro Morte, and Chris Hemsworth. Last year, they were invited by the Russo Brothers to attend the premiere of the movie, Extraction 2. This year, they featured in a Netflix Oscar Weekend Film Brand Campaign which was on display at Times Square in New York City.

Diana Chioma Eneje: Is one of the best in her craft, specifically with beauty influencing. She is a model, actress and Instagram influencer whose Instagram page has become an aesthetic spectacle. It is also worth noting that at just 18, she has about half a million followers on Instagram and 40,000 subscribers on YouTube, all of which have tuned in to marvel at the lifestyle that this model is pulling off. Asides being a model, she is also a lifestyle Vlogger, an entrepreneur and a philanthropist.

Michael Collins Ajereh: It’s hard to imagine that there are any Nigerians anywhere in the world who have not heard the name Don Jazzy. Asides his contribution to the Nigerian music industry, which by the way has been pivotal for its growth, Don Jazzy has also ventured into other media realms where he has excelled spectacularly, and believe it or not, social media influencer is one of said successful ventures. Still big on music, when the Don is not fetching out the next big thing or producing the next banger, he is goofing around with his followers on social media. This fun-loving side of him has reinvigorated the image of this superstar and has made him a more down to earth personality in the media. He often goes out of his way to aid upcoming content creators, featuring in their content, and has begun creating content of his own. Of course, it goes without saying that his engagement is over the roof and his followership is ginormous.

Jessica Anagor: Following in the footsteps of those that were in the game of content creation before her, and perfectly adding her own blend to culminate her style of comedy, Jessica Anagor popularly known online as Jessiekaey is well on her way to becoming one of the upper echelon influencers on Instagram. With her character Sister Benefit, she has been able to deliver hilarious and relatable skits some of which have gone on to become viral content. She has also become somewhat of an internet sweetheart. Her followership and engagement between the previous year and now has seen impressive growth.