Mercy Aigbe Biography: Age, Net Worth 2026, Ara, AMVCA Win, Domestic Violence Advocacy, and the Full Story of Nollywood’s Yoruba-Film Star

Mercy Aigbe was born in Edo State, attended secondary school in Lagos, studied in Ibadan and later at the University of Lagos, and built her career in Yoruba-language films. She is best known for Yoruba-language movies, but she is also a director, a fashion entrepreneur, a drama-school founder and, since 2017, a public voice against domestic violence.

Her screen career runs from small-screen soap operas to prize-winning supporting roles. In 2024 she won Best Supporting Actress at the Best of Nollywood Awards for Ada Omo Daddy. In 2025 she won Best Supporting Actress at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) for The Farmer’s Bride. In 2026 she led the romantic drama Everything Is New Again, which premiered worldwide on January 28.

She was born on January 1, 1978, which makes her 48 years old. Some websites give a different birth year, and this article explains why the 1978 date is the better-supported one. This is her full biography.

Mercy Aigbe Biography Facts at a Glance

Early Life and Education

Mercy Aigbe was born on January 1, 1978 in Edo State to Pa Aigbe and Mrs Abisola Grace Owodunni. She hails from Benin City, the Edo State capital. According to Wikipedia, she is the second child in a family of five, although at least one other biography site says three.

She attended St. Francis Primary School and then Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School in Ikeja, Lagos. She went on to The Polytechnic, Ibadan, where she received an OND in Financial Studies. Wikipedia reports that she graduated from the University of Lagos in 2001 with a degree in Theatre Arts. Ibadan matters in her story for another reason: it is where Ara, the film that brought her into the limelight, was produced.

Starting Out: Soap Operas and the Move Into Film

Mercy Aigbe began her acting career in soap operas, including the popular television drama Papa Ajasco. Wikipedia lists her years active as beginning in 2001. She joined the Nollywood film industry fully in 2006, and the movie that put her in the spotlight was Ara, produced in Ibadan by Remi Olupo.

From there she built a long filmography in Yoruba-language productions. Titles from the late 2000s listed on her Wikipedia page include Okanjua (2008), Igberaga (2009), Iro Funfun (2009) and Edaa (2010). In 2011 she appeared in The Return of Jenifa, part of the franchise associated with Funke Akindele, and in 2012 she starred in Osas: Omoge Benin as Osas and Gucci Girls as Cynthia.

A Busy Decade: 2015 to 2019

In 2015 she won Yoruba Movie Personality of the Year at the City People Entertainment Awards, and also won Fashion Entrepreneur of the Year at the Links and Glitz World Awards. Her screen work in these years included Victims (2015, as Yeni), Kabiosi (2015), Omoge Lekki (2016) and Little Drops of Happy (2017, as Yetunde).

In 2018 she was in Lagos Real Fake Life (as Jasmine), Heaven on My Mind (as Bola Peters), Wetin Women Want, 200 Million and Second Acts. In 2019 she appeared in 77 Bullets and The Reunion. She received Best of Nollywood Awards nominations in 2017, 2018 and 2019, in categories including Best Actress in a Lead Role (Yoruba) and Best Supporting Actress (Yoruba).

Business: Boutique, Drama School and Endorsements

Mercy Aigbe has built business interests alongside her screen work.

• Mag Divas Boutique: She launched the clothing store in Lagos in November 2014 and later opened an outlet in Ibadan.
• Mercy Aigbe Gentry School of Drama: She founded the school in 2016, and Television Continental reported in August 2016 that it had graduated its first set of trained students.
• Brand endorsements: Wikipedia lists ambassador deals with Elephant Gold Rice (November 2014), Prestige Cosmetic (June 2015), Edalaf Brothers Limited (July 2016), the fitness company Shape You (October 2016), BK hair (March 2017) and Naija Taxi Services (September 2018).
• Property: Information Nigeria reported in June 2018 that she bought a multi-million-naira house for herself and her children. No figure is independently verified.

Domestic Violence Advocacy

In 2017, Mercy Aigbe publicly shared photographs of herself after what she described as an assault by her then-husband. According to Wikipedia and its references, including Pulse and Channels TV, she subsequently separated from him and started a campaign against domestic violence. Channels TV reported in June 2017 that she had joined a campaign against domestic violence, and Pulse marked one year since the incident in February 2018. These are allegations as she made them publicly, and this article does not go beyond what was reported.

Separately, in July 2023, P.M. News reported that she received the Leadership Award for Youth and Empowerment at the Eko Heritage Awards.

Marriage, Faith and Family

Wikipedia reports that Mercy Aigbe married Nigerian hotelier Lanre Gentry in 2013, after the end of her first marriage, and that she has two children. She married Kazim Adeoti, popularly known as Adekaz, in 2022, according to Premium Times coverage cited by Wikipedia. In 2023 she converted to Islam and took the name Hajiya Meena; Leadership published an interview in December 2023 headlined “Why I Converted to Islam.”

Recent Work and Awards: 2022 to 2026

Her recent filmography shows a steady run of supporting and lead roles. She appeared in Brotherhood (2022, as Wumi Adetula), Ada Omo Daddy (2023, as Older Motunrayo), Rush Hour (2024), Beast of Two Worlds (2024, as Oyeyiola) and The Herd (2025).

The recognition followed. In 2024, she won Best Supporting Actress at the Best of Nollywood Awards for Ada Omo Daddy. In 2025, she won Best Supporting Actress at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards for The Farmer’s Bride. In 2026, she starred in Everything Is New Again, a romantic drama that premiered worldwide on January 28 and began screening in Nigerian and West African cinemas, with The Sun noting its bold storytelling and her lead performance.

Mercy Aigbe’s Net Worth in 2026

There is no verified net worth figure for Mercy Aigbe. Some websites cite figures such as $600,000, but those pages are low-quality and their numbers are not supported by any financial disclosure. Her income sources are not publicly documented, but they plausibly include acting fees, endorsement deals, her boutique and her drama school.

Awards and Recognition

Career Timeline

What Sources Disagree On

Like many Nollywood figures, Mercy Aigbe’s basic facts have been copied and altered across biography sites. Here is where the record stands.

• Birth year. Wikipedia and a P.M. News report titled “Pictures: Nollywood actress, Mercy Aigbe hits 43” (January 1, 2021) point to 1978. One low-quality site lists January 1, 1982, which does not match the reported age.
• Start of her career. Wikipedia lists 2001 as her first active year, while it says she joined Nollywood fully in 2006. Other sites give one year or the other, so the difference is mostly about how the start is counted.
• Family size. Wikipedia says she is the second of five children, while another page says second of three.
• Surname and real name. Some sites list “Mercy Aigbe Adeoti,” which reflects a later marriage rather than a birth name.
• Net worth. Published figures vary widely and none is verified.

Why Mercy Aigbe Matters

Mercy Aigbe represents a long-career path in Yoruba-language Nollywood: television first, film second, then businesses, advocacy and a late run of major supporting-actress awards. Her recent wins, at the BON Awards in 2024 and the AMVCA in 2025, show that sustained work in the Yoruba film sector can earn national recognition.

Her 2017 decision to speak publicly about domestic violence and join a campaign against it is also part of her public record, and she has continued working and winning awards since.

Frequently Asked Questions About Mercy Aigbe

How old is Mercy Aigbe?

Mercy Aigbe is 48 years old as of October 2026. She was born on January 1, 1978. A P.M. News report headlined “Pictures: Nollywood actress, Mercy Aigbe hits 43” (January 1, 2021) is consistent with that date.

Where is Mercy Aigbe from?

She was born in Edo State and hails from Benin City. She attended secondary school in Ikeja, Lagos, and later studied in Ibadan and at the University of Lagos.

What did Mercy Aigbe study?

According to Wikipedia, she earned an OND in Financial Studies at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, and graduated from the University of Lagos in 2001 with a degree in Theatre Arts.

What movie made Mercy Aigbe famous?

She joined Nollywood fully in 2006, and the movie that brought her into the limelight was Ara, produced by Remi Olupo in Ibadan.

What awards has Mercy Aigbe won?

Her wins include Yoruba Movie Personality of the Year (City People Entertainment Awards, 2015), Fashion Entrepreneur of the Year (Links and Glitz World Awards, 2015), the Leadership Award for Youth and Empowerment (Eko Heritage Awards, 2023), Best Supporting Actress for Ada Omo Daddy (Best of Nollywood Awards, 2024) and Best Supporting Actress for The Farmer’s Bride (AMVCA, 2025).

What is Mercy Aigbe’s latest film?

In 2026 she starred in the romantic drama Everything Is New Again, which premiered worldwide on January 28 and began screening in Nigerian and West African cinemas. Before that, her recent credits include Beast of Two Worlds (2024) and The Herd (2025).

Who is Mercy Aigbe married to?

She married Kazim Adeoti, popularly known as Adekaz, in 2022. She was previously married to hotelier Lanre Gentry, and she has two children. In 2023 she converted to Islam and took the name Hajiya Meena.

What is Mercy Aigbe’s net worth in 2026?

There is no verified figure. Some websites cite estimates, but they come from low-quality pages and are not supported by financial disclosures, so this article does not publish one.