Women in motion pictures: Top Nigerian female filmmakers

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

The Nollywood industry has gone through so much rapid and progressive reformation these past years. Everyone is bringing their A-game to the floor.

Recently, there is a generation of women rising and meeting up standards in the aspects of filmmaking as well as movie directing.

Some are backless of all trades in the film industry excelling at what they do.In this article,we have gathered top Nigerian female filmmakers who have brought unforgettable movies to our screen.

1. Mo’ Abudu

Mo Abudu, a renowned media mogul, has cemented her position as one of the most influential women in the world’s film industry. With a versatile career spanning various niches, Abudu has made a lasting impact on the entertainment landscape.

As an executive producer, she debuted her film production prowess with “Fifty”. Abudu’s impressive portfolio includes producing movies like, “The Wedding Party”, “Chief Daddy”, “Your Excellency” , “The Royal Hibiscus Hotel”, “ Òlòtūré”, “Blood Sisters”(accumulating over 11 million viewing hours on Netflix) and “Castle & Castle’ (Netflix original series)

2. Kemi Adetiba

Kemi Adetiba , 44 is known came to the limelight with debut film Wedding Party (2016). Adetiba’s first feature film The Wedding Party (a Nigerian Rom-com film) premiered opening night, at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), as the opening film of the City-to-City Spotlight.

In her exploits as a movie producer and director, she has produced the King of Boys franchise which catapults the heart of many. She was once named Nigeria’s Bruce Lee of Visuals by Pulse.

3. Funke Akindele

Funke Akindele’s rise to stardom began with her role as Bisi, a curious and intelligent secondary school student, in the popular UNFPA-sponsored sitcom “I Need to Know” (1998-2002). However, her breakthrough moment came in 2008 with the iconic movie “Jenifa,” which catapulted her to national fame. She started off originally as an actress branching into film making and movie directing along the line of her career.

Expanding her creative horizons, Akindele made her cinematic directorial debut with the 2019 political drama “Your Excellency.” Her box office success is unparalleled with her movie, “A Tribe called Judah” with milestones such as; second director to gross over ₦1 billion at the box office, highest-Grossing Director in Nigerian Box Office with a total gross of over ₦2.9 billion

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4. Jade Osiberu

Jadesola Osiberu is a visionary Nigerian writer, director, and producer, and founder of Greoh Studios. Her notable works include; Isoken (2017), Sugar Rush (2019), Brotherhood (2022), Gangs of Lagos (Amazon Prime Video’s first Nigerian original film).In 2022, Greoh Studios secured a three-year deal with Amazon to develop and produce original scripted TV series and feature films.

Osiberu’s initial production company, Tribe85 Productions (founded in 2017), aimed to share African stories globally. Her exceptional work ethic, attention to detail, and creative drive have earned praise.

5.Biodun Stephen

Ms Biodun is a Nigerian film director, writer and producer, specializing in romantic drama and comedy films.Biodun Stephen began her film-making career in 2014 with the release of The Visit. The film was praised for its minimal yet insightful cast, story and originality. It received two nominations at the 2016 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards in Lagos.

She also won the best director award at the 2016 Maya Awards (Africa). For her directorial role in Tiwa’s Baggage, she was nominated for best director at 2018 City People Movie Awards. Her popular movies include Muri&Ko (2024), Breaded Life (2021), Sista(2023) and Aki and Pawpaw(2022) amongst so many others

6. Bolanle Austen Peters

Bolanle Austen-Peters is a multi-award-winning film and theater director/producer, renowned for her captivating storytelling and innovative productions. In 2013, she founded Bolanle Austen-Peters Productions (BAP Productions), cementing her position as a trailblazer in the Nigerian entertainment industry.

Austen-Peters’ debut film, premiered in Lagos, tells the gripping story of Nigeria’s Ebola outbreak. Her notable movies are Man of God (2022), Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (2023), House of GA’A (2024).

Bolanle Austen-Peters continues to push boundaries in Nigerian cinema, showcasing her exceptional talent and dedication to sharing compelling African stories with global audiences.