Toluwani Obayan

Toluwani Obayan (born 13 August 1990) is a Nigerian author, screenwriter, and director known for her contributions to the Nigerian film industry, Nollywood.

Obayan wrote Ponzi (2021), a comedic film about Nigeria's economic challenges, This Lady Called Life (2020), and Something Like Gold (2023). She also directed the short film Heart & Might and authored a self-help book Becoming A Spectacular Woman (2018).

Early life and education Toluwani Obayan was born in Ilorin, Nigeria. She is of mixed Nigerian heritage. Her father is from Kogi State, her mother is from Edo State, and her paternal grandmother is from Abia State. From 1996 to 1999, her family lived in England.

Career Toluwani's career in Nollywood began as a video editor at Wale Adenuga Productions.

Her directorial debut was Heart & Might (2017), a short film about individuals involved in the fight against Boko Haram. In 2017, she was a staff writer at The Other News and became head writer by 2019. She was a screenwriter for This Lady Called Life (2020), for which she received the Best of Nollywood (BON) Award for Best Screenplay and an Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Award (AMVCA) nomination for Best Writer.

In 2021, she wrote Ponzi. She also worked on Something Like Gold. In 2022, she directed her debut feature film as part of the First Features initiative by Native Filmworks.

Recognition and influence Toluwani Obayan's work has been featured in Nigerian and international publications. She also participates in initiatives that support emerging filmmakers and writers in Nigerian cinema.

Personal life Toluwani married in July 2023 and welcomed her first child in December 2025.

Filmography As Writer

Awards and recognition