Kemi Adesoye is one of Nollywood’s most respected screenwriters, known for crafting stories that resonate deeply with audiences. She gained widespread recognition for writing The Figurine, a critically acclaimed film that won five Africa Movie Academy Awards. Over the years, she has built a reputation as a go-to writer for both feature films and television series in Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
Profile Summary
| Full Name | Oluwakemi Adesoye |
| Date of Birth | Not publicly disclosed |
| Place of Birth | Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| State of Origin | Kwara State (Yoruba) |
| Partner | N/A |
| Children | N/A |
| Occupation | Screenwriter |
| Net Worth | $500,000 – $1.5 million (₦400M – ₦1.2B) |
Early Life and Education
Kemi was born in Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria, and is the youngest of four children. Her parents are Yoruba from Kwara State. As an undergraduate, she discovered a book called The Elements of Script Writing in her school’s science library, this sparked her passion for screenwriting, even though she didn’t know it was a real profession at the time.
She studied Architecture undergradually, earned a master’s degree from the Federal University of Technology in Minna, and later attended a screenwriting course at the New York Film Academy in the U.S.
Career
Kemi’s career as a screenwriter didn’t follow a traditional path. She never planned to become one. Her first script was written around 1998 or 1999, and she slowly built her way up through workshops and competitions.
One of her early milestones was submitting a short script called “The Special Gele” to the M-Net New Directions competition. She didn’t win, but it gave her the confidence to keep going. Two years later, she won the competition twice, and her scripts were turned into short films. That validation pushed her forward.
In 2005 and 2006, she worked on Doctors’ Quarters, a medical series produced by DStv. Around 2008, she joined the writing team for Tinsel, a popular TV series that ran for many years.
Her biggest breakthrough came in 2009 when she wrote The Figurine for filmmaker Kunle Afolayan. The film was a massive success, winning five awards at the Africa Movie Academy Awards. After that, she became one of the most sought-after writers in Nollywood.
She continued writing successful films like Phone Swap (2012), a romantic comedy that earned her a Best Original Screenplay award at the 2013 Nollywood Movies Awards. Other notable works include African Metropolis, Fifty, Omugwo, and several television series including Shuga (Season 3) and Hotel Majestic.
Personal Life
Kemi has kept her personal life private. She doesn’t share much about her partner, children, or home life publicly. This is uncommon in an industry where many celebrities are very open about their relationships, but Kemi seems to prefer letting her work speak for itself.
From what can be gathered, she likely lives in Lagos, Nigeria, where most of Nollywood’s activity is centered. But beyond that, she keeps that part of her life to herself.
Net Worth
Kemi Adesoye’s net worth is estimated to be between $500,000 and $1.5 million (approximately ₦400 million to ₦1.2 billion). This estimate is based on her successful career spanning over 15 years, multiple award-winning films, steady television work on long-running series like Tinsel, and her reputation as one of Nollywood’s most sought-after screenwriters.
Filmography
Films
| Year | Film |
|---|---|
| 2009 | The Figurine |
| 2012 | Phone Swap |
| 2013 | African Metropolis |
| 2013 | The Line-Up (short) |
| 2014 | New Horizons (short) |
| 2015 | Fifty |
| 2017 | Omugwo |
| — | Prize Maze |
Television Series
| Year | Series |
|---|---|
| 2005–2006 | Doctors’ Quarters |
| 2006– | Edge of Paradise |
| 2008–present | Tinsel |
| 2013 | Shuga (Season 3) |
| 2015–2016 | Hotel Majestic |
Awards and Recognition
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Africa Movie Academy Awards | Multiple (5 total) | The Figurine | Won (film) |
| 2012 | Best of Nollywood Awards | Screenplay of the Year | Phone Swap | Nominated |
| 2013 | Nollywood Movies Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Phone Swap | Won |
| 2013 | Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Phone Swap | Nominated |
Kemi has also served as a jury member at film festivals and spoke at the Nollywood Studies Centre’s Filmmakers Forum in 2015. Her work continues to influence how stories are told in Nigerian cinema.
