Across entertainment, digital strategy, international education and entrepreneurship, Nigerian women continue to build platforms that extend beyond individual success. This week, Women of the Week celebrates five women whose work reflects creative ambition, professional excellence and a commitment to building businesses, shaping industries and creating opportunities for others.
Lota Chukwu – Actress, Founder of Cowrie Films, Producer, Writer and Director
Lota Chukwu has steadily expanded her influence in Nollywood from performing on screen to developing stories behind the camera. She first gained widespread recognition for her portrayal of Kiki in the popular television series Jenifa’s Diary, a role that introduced her to a broad Nigerian audience and established her as a distinctive presence in the industry. She subsequently appeared in productions including The Arbitration, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel, Enakhe and Ajoche, demonstrating her versatility across film and television.
Her ambitions extend beyond acting. Lota began developing her filmmaking practice with the short film Small Bants in 2020, followed by David and 37 to Go, in which she took on multiple creative responsibilities. She later made her feature film debut as a writer, director and producer with Now That We Are Married, an Africa Magic Original. Through Cowrie Films, she continues to develop her identity as a storyteller with greater creative control over the projects she brings to life. Her journey reflects the growing importance of African filmmakers who are not only interpreting stories created by others but also building the capacity to originate, produce and direct their own work.
Omobolaji Ajibare (bolajibillions) – Creative Economy Strategist, Founder, TheSocialMediaOga
Omobolaji Ajibare is a Creative Economy Strategist and the founder of TheSocialMediaOga, a digital education and strategy brand helping individuals, businesses and aspiring professionals understand the commercial possibilities of social media. Through practical content, training, mentorship and industry insights, she has built a platform focused on transforming social media management from an informal skill into a structured professional career. Her work addresses the growing demand for digital expertise as brands increasingly depend on online communities, content strategy and creator partnerships to reach their audiences.
Ajibare’s influence extends beyond creating content for her own audience. She has collaborated with international digital marketing brands, including Hootsuite, Metricool, Later and Semrush, while using her platforms to educate social media managers and creators on strategy, analytics, content development and sustainable business growth. She also developed The Social Media Manager Bible, a podcast dedicated to the realities and opportunities of building a career in the field. With further academic training in digital marketing and social media management from the University of Salford, she brings together practical experience and formal knowledge. Her work highlights the emergence of the creator economy as a serious professional ecosystem in which African expertise can serve both local businesses and international markets.
Anita Asuoha (Realwarripikin) – Award-winning Standup Comedian, Host, Actor and Influencer
Anita Asuoha, popularly known as Real Warri Pikin, has built a distinctive place in Nigerian entertainment through her humour, energetic stage presence and relatable observations of everyday life. Her comedy draws heavily on Nigerian Pidgin and the humour of the Niger Delta, giving her a recognisable voice across stand-up performances, digital content and live entertainment. Her performances have reached audiences across Nigeria and internationally, establishing her as one of the country’s prominent female comedy performers.
Beyond stand-up comedy, Asuoha has developed a career spanning acting, hosting, digital entertainment and entrepreneurship. She has appeared in Nollywood productions, created original entertainment projects and launched Real Warri Pikin Unfiltered, expanding her stage presence into a larger live entertainment experience. Her accolades include comedy honours recognising her performances and creative productions. She has also established the Real Warri Pikin Foundation, which supports women experiencing mental health challenges. By combining comedy with advocacy and personal storytelling, Asuoha demonstrates how entertainment can create both commercial opportunities and meaningful social conversations.
Utannah Joy Dania – Founder and CEO of Zeta Brent Education
Utannah Joy Dania is an entrepreneur whose work focuses on helping students and families navigate international education opportunities. Through Zeta Brent Education, she provides guidance on international school admissions, university applications and academic pathways across destinations including the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. Her work addresses an increasingly important challenge for Nigerian families: making informed education decisions in a global environment where admissions requirements, costs, funding options and institutional expectations can be difficult to navigate.
Since its establishment in 2016, Zeta Brent Education has guided students and families towards international educational opportunities, working with a network of partner institutions. Dania’s approach focuses on personalised guidance and helping families understand their options before making significant academic and financial commitments. In 2026, the company expanded its public engagement through an international education event in Lagos, bringing schools and education providers into direct contact with Nigerian families. Her work positions education advisory services as an important bridge between local aspirations and global opportunities, helping students make decisions that can shape their academic and professional futures.
Janada Ajeroh – CEO & Founder, Mint Organic Care & Mint Hospitality Company
Janada Ajeroh is an entrepreneur whose work brings together wellness, natural personal care and hospitality. She founded Mint Organic Care in 2014 with a vision of sustainable luxury, developing locally made products using plant based ingredients for skincare, body care, aromatherapy and household use. The brand emphasises carefully sourced ingredients, small batch production and alternatives to conventional products containing harsh chemicals, responding to growing consumer interest in more conscious approaches to personal care.
Under Ajeroh’s leadership, Mint Organic Care has grown beyond its original product offering into corporate gifting and the supply of amenities for hospitality businesses. Her entrepreneurial approach combines locally produced goods with a premium customer experience, demonstrating how Nigerian businesses can compete in the growing market for wellness and sustainable lifestyle products. Her broader hospitality interests further reflect an ambition to create experiences built around quality, thoughtful service and contemporary African enterprise. By developing a brand around wellbeing and sustainability, Ajeroh represents a generation of entrepreneurs finding commercial opportunities in changing consumer expectations while building businesses rooted in local production.
Why SHE Matters
These five women demonstrate how expertise and ambition can create influence across different industries. Through film, digital education, comedy, international learning and sustainable enterprise, they are building platforms that expand opportunities, shape culture and contribute to Nigeria’s evolving creative and business landscape.
