Zina Saro-Wiwa is a British-Nigerian video artist, filmmaker, and curator renowned for her groundbreaking work that merges film, art, and activism. Splitting her time between Brooklyn, New York, and the Niger Delta in Nigeria, she is a prominent figure in the alt-Nollywood movement, creatively using Nigerian cinema’s aesthetics to craft politically resonant and subversive stories. Her diverse portfolio includes video installations, documentaries, experimental films, music videos, and performance art, often exploring themes such as identity, environment, and cultural heritage.
Profile Summary
| Full Name | Zina Saro-Wiwa |
| Date of Birth | 1976 |
| Place of Birth | Port Harcourt, Nigeria |
| Nationality | British-Nigerian |
| Parents | Ken Saro-Wiwa (father), Maria Saro-Wiwa (mother) |
| Partner | N/A |
| Children | N/A |
| Occupations | Video artist, filmmaker, curator, former BBC journalist, writer |
| Net Worth | Estimated between $1 million and $3 million |
Early Life and Education
Born in 1976 in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, Zina is the daughter of the late Ken Saro-Wiwa, the acclaimed Nigerian environmental and human rights activist executed in 1995.
She was raised in the UK, attending Roedean School in Sussex. Zina pursued Economic and Social History at the University of Bristol.
Coming from a family of writers and activists—her twin sister Noo Saro-Wiwa is a travel writer, and her brother Ken Wiwa was also an author—she has been deeply influenced by her family’s legacy.
Career
Zina started her professional journey as a BBC journalist, producer, and presenter, working there for over ten years before fully transitioning into the art world around 2008. Her debut film, This Is My Africa, premiered at Stevenson Gallery in Cape Town and was broadcast on HBO.
In 2010, she curated Sharon Stone in Abuja, a contemporary art exhibition in New York that examined Nollywood’s visual and storytelling styles.
Her creative projects include New West African Kitchen, which combines West African culinary traditions with video art and lectures, and Table Manners (2014–2016), a multi-channel video series portraying Ogoni people enjoying traditional meals, blending cultural politics with intimate storytelling.
Zina’s work has been showcased at prestigious venues such as Tate Britain, Brooklyn Museum, Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Pulitzer Foundation, and Goodman Gallery. She also founded the Boys’ Quarters Project Space in Port Harcourt, aimed at using contemporary art to foster regional regeneration in the Niger Delta.
Her work has been featured in leading publications including The New York Times, Art Forum, Wall Street Journal, and Financial Times.
Zina was listed among The Times’ top 25 leaders of the African Renaissance in 2011 and named a Global Thinker by Foreign Policy magazine in 2016/2017.
Additionally, she was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship and served as Artist-in-Residence at Pratt Institute.
Personal Life
Zina divides her time between Brooklyn, the UK, and Port Harcourt, maintaining a strong connection to her family’s activist roots. Her art continues to engage with the environmental and social issues affecting the Niger Delta.
Zina Saro-Wiwa Net Worth
Zina Saro-Wiwa’s estimated net worth is between $1 million and $3 million, reflecting her successful career as an internationally recognized artist, filmmaker, and curator.
Selected Filmography
- This Is My Africa (2008)
- Phyllis (2011)
- Table Manners (2014–2016)
- Birth of a Silent Rage
- Daemon Dancing
- Niger Delta: A Documentary
- The Invisible Man
Awards and Honors
- Guggenheim Fellowship (Year awarded)
- Named one of The Times’ Top 25 Leaders of the African Renaissance (2011)
- Featured as a Global Thinker by Foreign Policy (2016/2017)
- Artist-in-Residence at Pratt Institute (2016–2017)
