Meet the Top 10 Nollywood Actors of 2022

From Meg Otangwa’s brilliant portrayal of a mother suffering from postpartum depression to Genoveva Umeh’s breakout moment, here are the actors who owned this year.

With the COVID-19 pandemic mostly behind us, 2022 has been a great year for both film and television. From cinemas to streaming, there was no shortage of fantastic entertainment and memorable performances.

On the heels of our ranking of this year’s best film we have compiled a list of our top actors (both male and female). In addition to the obvious contenders, we noticed some incredible performances from a couple of up-and-comers who had us spellbound with their undeniable talent.

And the award for the top 10 Nollywood actors of 2022 goes to:

1.Meg Otanwa in ‘For Maria’

From C.J Obasi’s 2014 ‘Ojuju’ to ‘Knockout Blessing’, Otanwa has consistently stood out for her ability to turn any onscreen time she has into powerful moments, and ‘For Maria’ (Ẹ̀bùn Pàtàkì) is no different.

In Damilola Orimogunje’s movie which premiered in 2020 but was released on Netflix to a larger audience this year, she delivers a standout performance, embodying all the melancholy and emotions of a new mother suffering from postpartum depression.

Meg Otanwa in ‘For Maria Ebun Pataki’ [Black History Month]

Leading the movie alongside Gabriel Afoloyan, Otanwa puts her body on the line gaining weight in order to pass as a pregnant woman. By the end, the audience leaves with a better understanding of this important, yet often overlooked issue and a new appreciation for the talent that is Meg Otanwa. We look forward to the magic she will deliver next year.

2.Genoveva Umeh

Anyone who saw Blood Sister finished the series with one question on their minds—”Who is Timeyin?”—thanks to Umeh’s outstanding performance.

Holding her own against established acts like Kate Henshaw, she demonstrates her acting chops as a troubled addict; a role that could have easily been forgettable if played by someone with lesser skills.

Genoveva Umeh in ‘Blood Sisters’ [Netflix]

Stealing the spotlight every chance she gets Umeh reaffirms our faith in Nollywood future with her entrancing performance. We wait eagerly to see the stratospheric heights she will reach soon.

3.Deyemi Okanlawan in ‘Blood Sisters’

This trained actor made a memorable appearance earlier this year with his performance in Netflix’s Blood Sister.

Okanlawan, who was killed off in the first episode, milked every opportunity he had to play the outwardly charming, yet secretly abusive Kola, a role that was so traumatising that he was forced to seek therapy.

Blood Sisters series [Netflix]

4.Bimbo Ademoye in ‘Anikulapo’

Even though Ademoye has been around for a while, she first caught our attention as the third sugar sister in ‘Sugar Rush.’ In 2021, she did the same in ‘Ayinla’ and again this year as the beautiful Arolake in Kunle Afolayan’s ‘Anikulapo.’

Ademoye makes you feel her pain as the barren queen, you root for her happiness when she falls for Saro; and you finally side with her when she exacts her revenge.

Bimbo Ademoye