Nollywood Female Directors to Watch in 2025

The Nollywood landscape is a study in contrasts. One moment, we’re celebrating Funke Akindele’s record-breaking box office success; the next, the industry is embroiled in heated debates over the depth of romantic comedies. Yet, this tension speaks to Nollywood’s vitality, an industry in constant dialogue with itself, evolving through its challenges and triumphs.

Amid this environment, a generation of female directors is emerging as a transformative force. They’re reimagining what Nigerian cinema can be, pushing beyond conventional boundaries in storytelling, genre experimentation, and representation. These visionaries are building upon the foundation laid by pioneers like Amaka Igwe and Mildred Okwo while carving their own distinct paths in the industry.

What makes these five directors particularly noteworthy is their audacious approach to filmmaking. They possess that rare combination of creative fearlessness and technical precision. Their work challenges prevailing narratives while remaining deeply rooted in Nigerian cultural contexts. Each has demonstrated a unique ability to experiment with form and content while maintaining the authentic storytelling that defines Nollywood at its best. Here are five female directors whose work deserves your attention this year.

Ema Edosio

Ema Edosio brings Lagos streets to life on screen. Her debut short Kasala! stormed through film festivals, winning hearts with its raw humor and unflinching portrayal of city life. She rejects glossy narratives about the elite, choosing instead to spotlight the everyday heroes of Lagos.

I witnessed the power of her storytelling at the private screening of When Nigeria Happens. The film pulses with Lagos energy, capturing the city’s chaos and charm in equal measure. Edosio’s camera finds poetry in the mundane, and beauty in the bustle.

Speaking with InNollywood, she says that she tells stories about people she sees and knows, not the bourgeois kind. This commitment to authenticity sets her apart. She straddles the line between mainstream appeal and indie sensibilities, creating films that feel both fresh and familiar. Edosio stands as a bridge-builder. She proves that commercial success and artistic integrity can coexist. Her work expands what Nigerian cinema can be—grittier, truer, bolder.

Nneoha Ann Aligwe

Nneoha Aligwe disrupts Nigerian cinema with her bold supernatural tales. She bewitched audiences with Enyo, a story of couples rekindling their passion through otherworldly means. The film seized the Viewers Choice Award at the S16 Festival before enchanting crowds at the Luxor Film Festival. Her film Born Different stormed into the finals at the 2021 Durban International Film Festival. That same year, her documentary Solo Mons competed as a finalist at the African Film for Impact Festival.

Aligwe doesn’t just make films, she also creates platforms. Her film festival, the African International Horror Film Fest, is Nigeria’s first Horror Film Festival and the second of its kind in Africa. Each new project pushes Nollywood’s boundaries further. Through supernatural twists and psychological turns, she forces audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about society. 

Chinazaekpere Chukwu

Chinazaekpere Chukwu weaves Nigerian culture into global stories. Her 2023 short film Ti E Bo struck a chord at AFRIFF’s 12th edition, laying bare the isolation of misunderstood emotions. The film blazed through festivals, capturing audiences at Afropolis, The Annual Film Mischief, and Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX). It broke new ground at Ghana’s Drama Queens Queer Film Festival. 

A Psalm for Abigail crowned Chukwu with the Best Director award at EbonyLife Creative Academy. She crafts each scene with precision, infusing local flavor into universal themes. Chukwu’s films speak a dual language. They honor Nigerian traditions while echoing global experiences. She transforms intimate local stories into tales that resonate across borders. In her hands, Nollywood’s reach extends far beyond Nigeria’s shores.

Aisha Salaudeen

Aisha Salaudeen amplifies voices from the shadows. Her documentaries pierce through Nigeria’s social fabric, exposing hard truths others ignore. She wields her camera like a journalist’s pen, cutting straight to the heart of critical issues.

Salaudeen now storms into short film territory, carrying her raw documentary style into new genres. She proves that truth-telling can grip audiences as powerfully as fiction. We Have Bleach debuted at AFRIFF last year. The film rips away the veil from mental illness and depression, forcing audiences to confront uncomfortable realities. With each project, she reshapes what Nollywood can be, expanding its boundaries beyond entertainment into social impact.

Chioma Paul Dike

Chioma Paul-Dike electrifies every story she touches. Her short film Dreams was shown at AFRIFF in 2023 before capturing audiences at the Silicon Valley African Film Festival and TSWA Film Festival in 2024. Now she charges into 2025 with Oblation, transforming the world of Dreams into something darker and more intense. “Oblation is not just a horror film,” she says. “We hope to deliver a thought-provoking story of love, betrayal, and redemption. The story explores the unseen forces that shape us and the sacrifices demanded when those forces awaken.”

Under Paul-Dike’s direction, familiar fears take unexpected turns. She doesn’t just want to frighten audiences—she aims to haunt them with questions that linger long after the credits roll.