How Nigerian Adult Film Stars Are Reinventing Themselves

A growing number of Nigerian adult film stars are changing how the public sees them by moving beyond pornography. They are now becoming digital content creators, influencers, and entrepreneurs on social media. TOFARATI IGE looks at some of these stars.

Uglygalz
Marimi Edet, known as Uglygalz, started her career in Nigeria’s underground adult entertainment scene. Recently, she has been using mainstream social media to connect with her followers and diversify her income sources.

She gained attention when she appeared on the ‘Outside the Box’ podcast. She shared that she acted in porn due to her mental health. She said her family did not approve of her choice and even took her to a rehabilitation center. She added, “How does what I do translate to me having a mental health disorder? The funny thing is that when I stopped doing it (acting porn), I became even more depressed.”

In another podcast, Edet revealed what might make her stop acting in porn.
“I need someone who can satisfy me in the bedroom for the rest of my life, anytime I want it, whenever I want it, and then I may think about stopping adult film. I have never been in any relationship, but I have people I love to sleep with.”
Contrary to expectations, she claimed the job has not been financially rewarding for her.

She said, “No money yet. They have been stealing my money. My family steals my money. They are strong and spiritual people and have a punishment for me doing porn. They will just make me do it and be happy, but I will not see the fruit of the labour until they forgive me. They have forgiven me; that’s why I am on this podcast. Otherwise, I would still lock myself inside the house.”

In a different interview with Daily Independent in 2020, she had a different perspective, saying the business was profitable, and she paid taxes from it.
“The business is very lucrative. I have saved a lot and I help people by contributing to society. With the rate at which I am going, they would legalise it in Nigeria. I pay tax from my porn videos.”
“I started two years ago officially, but before then, I used to do video calls with my clients. I used to send them naked videos. I enjoyed what I was doing so I decided to take it a step further by producing movies instead of only video calls.”

Edet also shared her struggles with finding regular jobs, saying bosses were interested in more than just her skills. She noted, “When I started my career, my parents didn’t know about it; but a few months ago, my parents got to know about it through my cousin who wanted to blackmail me to sleep with him.”

She firmly stated that she has no regrets about her career path, saying, “If I have to come back to this world, what I am doing now, I will still do it again.”
Unlike before when pornstars were often hidden, Edet is open and active on social media, sharing her content without shame.

On TikTok, she sometimes shares pictures from her adult content clips. In one post, she shared a picture of herself with four men, hinting at a scene where they were all together.
In other posts, she shows her collaborations with other adult content creators.

Didee
On social media, Didee calls herself a digital creator focused on self-care and lifestyle. On Instagram and TikTok, she has built a large following by sharing videos about her daily routine and tips about working with artificial intelligence.

However, many know her as the fair-skinned adult content creator popular on X Videos. Over the years, she has collaborated with several other adult content creators.

In a recent post, she spoke about the need to learn AI. She said, “If you think you have missed the AI opportunity, you need to listen to this. They said the same thing about social media; yet, every year, thousands of people learn those skills and use them to build successful careers. The opportunities presented by AI are not over; they are actually growing.”
She also shared her first AI workflow tool, a “simple weather workflow” that checks the Lagos weather every morning and sends her a notification.

In another post, she questioned why some people are “obsessed with marriage,” saying, “I don’t even understand the concept of living a miserable life all because you want to marry. Leave marriage for people that want to be married.”
Didee emphasized that she now makes money she used to think only a man could provide.

Her posts show she values her family highly. She has celebrated her dad on Father’s Day and shared videos attending church with her family members, including her parents.
She hinted at rebuilding her life by saying, “If the topic is about healing and rebuilding my life, I’ll sit and tell you how I had to pick myself up, piece by piece, on days I didn’t feel strong enough to try. Somehow, I’m still becoming someone I’m proud of, one step at a time.”

On Mother’s Day, she celebrated her mum, saying being content saved her from peer pressure. According to her, these are values she learned from her mum.

She stated she has no regrets, writing, “I don’t regret the choices I’ve made, even the ones that had me like wow girl what was that. I don’t do revenge or payback; I just take my lesson, cut my losses, and move on. Every experience taught me something, boundaries, self-worth, when to leave, when to stay quiet. No shame, just growth.”
In 2025, Didee went viral when pictures of her in her graduation gown surfaced online. After facing backlash and comments about her porn past, she wrote, “I am educated. I made a decision and I stand by that decision. I studied Biochemistry but I created a life that I wanted on my own terms. My choice wasn’t about lack. It was about freedom. It was about having control. Yes, about money, too. Because let’s be honest, I have bills.”
“Most of you know me, the viral version of me, the trending topic, the B.Sc. graduate who Nigeria failed, who became a porn star. You’ve seen the post, you’ve heard the lies. They call me a fraud. They say I’m living a double life. They have dragged my name like they know me. But the truth is they really don’t.”
“But here is what people don’t get. I am not hiding it. Honestly, I am showing exactly how I want to show up. I can be both soft and strong. I can be sexual and I can also be smart.”
“I am not defending myself. I am saying my truth. I am only owning my own truth. Nobody else knows my truth. Only me.”
Her followers engage actively with her posts, often complimenting her beauty and personality, while some question adult entertainers seeking acceptance in mainstream spaces.

Though her transition seems to have opened new doors, the stigma from her past still lingers. She faces criticism from people who think her past should limit her visibility in mainstream media.

Asari Xoxo
In a viral interview, adult content creator Asari Xoxo shared that hard work is key to success in the porn industry.
She introduced herself, saying, “My name is Asari. I am a pornstar and celeb in the adult entertainment industry. I am a brand influencer and model.”
Talking about how she entered the industry, she explained, “First, it was the situation, but now, it is no longer that.”

Asari noted, “I don’t really have an excuse for what got me into the industry. If I say I was going through hard times, people would say I’m not the only one with that type of experience. I got raped and I almost lost myself. There were two options before me: do this (porn) and better yourself, or stay and remain broke. I decided to better myself, and I went into it.”

She shared her experience in the industry, saying, “At first, it was tough, but it isn’t anymore. The way people talked down on me and made me feel like I don’t deserve anything anymore. Now, I don’t think about what people say anymore. The only people I care about are my family members. They have never been happy with me since the day I went viral.”
When asked about the highest amount she made, she said a video earned her N15m.

On the downside of the industry, she explained, “This industry will take away your original image. People will see the slutty side of you but refuse to see the wife material or churchy side of you. I used to be a regular churchgoer.”
Asari believes anyone entering the industry must be mentally strong due to the negative comments they will face every day.

Reflecting on her family, she mentioned that her brother, a pastor, feels bad when she is a topic on social media. She tries to help him understand that they have different paths in life and that he should not feel guilty about her decisions.

On social media, especially Instagram, Asari shares sultry photos and clips from her adult shoots. She is unapologetic in her online presence, sharing lifestyle photos and behind-the-scenes clips. Her posts get plenty of reactions, with supporters admiring her confidence while critics question her career choices.

Gray Africana
For Gray Africana, having sex on camera is the easiest part of being an adult content creator. In her interview on the Yomi Listens podcast, she said, “I am planning to have sex with 36 men, each representing the different states in Nigeria.”
She shared her tough childhood experience, saying, “Growing up was very tough. I didn’t get to see my parents even though they were alive. My mum just left me with a friend, without telling the friend that she would be gone for a long time. It wasn’t until 17 years later before she came back when I was graduating from secondary school.”
Due to the lack of parental guidance, she often wandered the streets and experienced rape attempts four times. She claimed to have stabbed one of her attackers.

She stated, “I never wanted to be a porn star. Even now, I am not a porn star; I just act porn.”
She added, “Being a porn star, you would have money. There was a time I was supposed to work with Asake, but when they found out I act porn, they cancelled the job.”
She believes that if she were a porn star, brands would be eager to work with her.

Mami Igbagbo
Elizabeth Ajibola, known as Mami Igbagbo, became a hot topic in 2024 when she announced her retirement from acting in pornography. She said she had “given her life to Christ.”
On her X page, she announced, “I am retiring from the adult entertainment industry. It’s been an amazing journey.”
In a white garment holding a Bible, she seemed ready for a new chapter in her life.

According to a report by Guardian Newspaper, she had gone viral earlier when she appeared on content creator Nons Miraj’s talk show. There, she introduced herself as “a porn star, an international porn star and I want a man that is going to be helping me into this my new version.”
She was asked about her body count and replied, “Let me just say, one thousand people.”
On her Instagram, she wrote, “Got my life back. The life I had before porn. Innocent butterfly, sober, beautiful and spiritually gifted.”
About a week ago, she said after her repentance, a popular porn channel, Bang Bros, approached her for a collaboration. She wrote, “Na now wey I repent Bang Bros wan collaborate. Which kain test be this?”
In another post, she shared a book she wrote called “Sacred Exposure” and captioned it, “Not every silence is weakness. Some silence is survival. Some silence is transformation. This book explains it. Sacred Exposure: From Silence To Awakening.”

Tall Lizzy
Born Elizabeth Daniel, Tall Lizzy is a well-known name among fans who watch her adult content on platforms like X Videos.
She has grown her presence on social media, and her posts often get hundreds of likes and comments. On her Instagram, she describes herself as a “Nigerian adult movie star, actress, model, and public figure.”
She frequently shares pictures with her co-actors from adult shoots and discusses various topics, like “Men are polygamous in nature.”
In that video, she argued that there is no scientific proof that “men are polygamous,” claiming women should be more polygamous. She believes many women in Nigeria have been taught to think their lives revolve around men.

Recently, she shared her future goals, saying, “Dear me, in the next five years, I will be who I have always wanted to be…a very successful and impactful Nollywood actress. From my mouth to God’s ears.”
In another post, she noted that she earned more from her YouTube channel than from her adult content.

Responding to critics, she stated that she could marry at 40 if she wanted, despite people saying she could never find a husband due to her past. She said, “Of all the things I want to achieve, marriage is not on the list.”
She added that money is more important to her.

Tall Lizzy explained that she initially wanted to join Nollywood but was taken advantage of by a filmmaker. Although she said she “consented to everything because I wanted to be famous.”
In another video, she pointed out that male adult content actors have it easier because they get paid to enjoy sex, while in real life, “many men pay to have sex.”
She added that females receive more “direct fan support,” saying she often gets monetary gifts from her male fans worldwide.
On the negative side, she shared her fear of having children who would suffer from the fallout of her choices. She said, “It has affected me in many ways.