When the Nigerian film industry became popularly known as Nollywood after being referred to as such by a New York Times article, the veteran actor, Ini Edo was already a part of the Nigerian movie industry.
Like several actors in her category, Ini Edo has done over two decades in the Nigerian movie industry. Given that, there’s never a mention of old and new Nollywood without Ini Edo being mentioned as one of the actors that helped shape Nollywood into what it has become.
| Real name | Iniobong Edo Ekim |
| Date of birth | 23 April 1982 |
| Country of Origin | Federal Republic of Nigeria |
| Source of Wealth | Entertainment, Endorsement |
| Net worth | $1.5 million |
Bringing to light her artistic abilities, Ini Edo for years has remained one of Nollywood’s sensations and an icon whose artistic strengths fall in line with Nollywood veterans like Genevieve Nnaji, Rita Dominic, Omotola Jalende, Pete Edochie, Patience Ozokwor, Nkem Owoh and many more.
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Ini Edo’s Biography
Ini Edo is from Akwa Ibom, a state in the South-South part of Nigeria that shares a common boundary with Cross River State. The Nigerian actress whose full name is Iniobong Edo was born on the 23rd of April, 1982.
She comes from a family of four—three girls and one boy. She was born into a strict home with a mother that was a teacher and a father who was a church elder.
Chronicling her educational life, it’s palpable that Ini has always had the flair for acting. Firstly, she attended Cornelius Connelly College in Uyo. Later on, she went to the University of Uyo where she bagged her diploma in Theatre Arts. She subsequently went on to further her education at the University of Calabar where she studied English and Literary Studies.
In 2014, she got a scholarship to study law at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
Ini Edo was briefly married in 2008 to Philip Ehiagwina and later got divorced in 2014 due to domestic violence.
Before and after the end of the marriage, what has always had the front seat row in her life is her acting career.
Ini Edo’s Career
Ini Edo has always nursed her acting dreams since childhood and this began a reality for her in the early 2000s. She lam landed her first role in 2003 and ever since then has featured in over 150 movies.
Her debut movie was the 2003 movie titled Thick Madam which featured other stars like Bruno Iwuoha and Eucharist Anunobi. During this time, she wasn’t yet living in Lagos. But, her performance in the movie made the film producer encourage her to relocate to Lagos to enable her to gain more acting opportunities.
After relocating to Lagos, this came with her most popular career break where she starred as one of the lead actors in the popular Nollywood film, World Apart starring stars like Kenneth Okonkwo, Hilda Dokubo, Bruno Iwuoha and Liz Benson.
The wealth the actor enjoys today has not come without hard work as even to date, she’s still seen starring in Nollywood movies. Some of the movies she has starred in include;
- World Apart
- Thick Madam
- The Begotten
- The Bank Manager
- Desperate Housegirls
- The Bet
- Cold War
- Crying Angel
- While You Slept
- Desperate Need
- Emotional Blackmail
- Living in Tears
- Desperate Billionaire
- Ghetto Queen
- Reloaded
- Caro The Iron Bender
- Most Wanted Bachelor
- Chief Daddy
- Citation
- Ass on Fire
- Married to the Enemy
Ini Edo wards and recognitions
With her acting skills, Ini Edo has also gotten several awards and recognitions which include;
- 2009 Best of Nollywood Awards for Best Actress Leading Role Category
- 2011 Zulu African Film Academy Awards for Best Actress Indigenous Category
- 2012 Golden Icons Academy Movie Honorarium Appreciation Award
- 2013 Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards as female viewers’ choice
- 2013 Cross River Movie Award as best act female
- 2013 NAFCA Award for best-supporting actress
- 2015 Ghana Movie awards for being the best actress–African collaboration
- 2018 ZAFAA Global awards as the best actress
Aside from her career in acting and scriptwriting, Ini Edo has also held several other offices which include;
- 2011 appointment as UN-Habitat Youth Ambassador alongside Ramsey Nouah. Her appointment was to assist the UN body to improve the lives of youths worldwide by promoting socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities adequate shelter for all in Nigeria and Africa as a whole
- 2013 judge for the Miss Black Africa UK Pageant.
- 2016 political appointment as the Special Assistant to Akwa Ibom State Government on Culture and Tourism and was later reappointed in 2020 by the Akwa Ibom State governor, Udom Emmanuel.
- 2020 appointment as the National Democratic Institute(NDI) Women’s Empowerment Ambassador, a non-profit organization that works with partners in developing countries to increase the effectiveness of democratic institutions.
Apart from all of these political positions held, Ini Edo also runs a beauty line called Beauty Secrets of April launched in 2021. The line sells a set of non-gender based beauty products that moisturize and revitalize every skin type.
Ini Edo has also gotten endorsement deals which include;
- 2006-2016 Glo Ambassador
- 2016 SlimTea Ambassador
- 2019 MrTaxi_NG Ambassador
- 2020 Noble Hair Ambassador
Ini Edo Cars
As someone with quite an exquisite taste, Ini Edo has some of the flashiest car collections which include;
- 2010 Toyota Venza
When the 2010 Toyota Venza first entered the market, it was tagged as the number one affordable midsize SUV by US News. When the 2010 Toyota Venza first entered the market, it was tagged as the number one affordable midsize SUV by US News.
The car comes with a spacious interior, powerful and efficient engines, a pleasant driving demeanour, a comfy ride, innovative interior storage, and strong crash-test scores. The price estimate of the 2010 Toyota Venza is about $16,590-$19,590.
- Mercedes 4matic GLE 450
A brand new Mercedes 4matic GLE 450 costs about $63,000. It ranks as one of the top luxury midsize SUV classes which are mostly because of its posh and spacious interior, rewarding ride and handling and excellent engine performance.
A brand new Mercedes 4matic GLE 450 costs about $63,000. It ranks as one of the top luxury midsize SUV classes which are mostly because of its posh and spacious interior, rewarding ride and handling and excellent engine performance.
- Lexus LX 570
The Lexus LX 570 is one of the technologically advanced SUVs. It provides a deep layer of luxury, an exceptional off-road capability coupled with a beautifully crafted cabin. The Lexus LX 570 sells for about $87,000.
- Mercedes Benz C300
The Mercedes C300 is part of the new generation of the C-Class. It’s built with intelligent technology, responsive performance, electrified power, a digital cockpit, and elevated elegance. The prices of the Mercedes C300 vary depending on the trim. For the premium trim, the price is around $43,550.
- Mercedes-AMG G65
Although having been discontinued, the Mercedes-AMG G65 has its roots as a military vehicle and was a rare whip. It comes with a twin-turbo V12. When it first entered the market, it sold for about $253,000. The current market price of any AMG G65 is about $222,700.
- Range Rover Sport
Range Rover Sport is among the trendy cars today. It comes with sportier design cues and a muscular stance designed for impact. It’s the medium-sized SUV produced under the Land Rover Range Rover Sport. The Range Rover Sport sells for about $70,000.
Range Rover Sport is among the trendy cars today. It comes with sportier design cues and a muscular stance designed for impact. It’s the medium-sized SUV produced under the Land Rover Range Rover Sport. The Range Rover Sport sells for about $70,000.
- Golf Cart
Very rarely do you find Nigerian celebrities that own Golf carts. Ini Edo is one of those celebrities that has her own Golf car. The price ranges from $7,000 to $13,000.
Ini Edo’s Houses
Ini Edo is no stranger to property ownership in Nigeria. With real estate being one of the most lucrative investments, Ini has also bagged some for herself. While there’s news of her owning several properties, the most notable are;
- 85 Million Naira Worth Mansion In Lekki
- Lekki Phase 1 Mimz Lounge
Ini Edo equally owns a nightclub in Lekki Phase 1 which boasts of a well-furnished guest house, rooftop lounge, exotic drinks and several African and Continental dishes. She has owned and officially operated the lounge since September 2015.
Ini Edo Net Worth
Having made so many waves in the entertainment industry, Ini Edo is one of the highest-paid actors and screenwriters in Nollywood. Coupled with other sources of income, the actor is valued to have a net worth of over $1.5 million.
Conclusion
Ini Edo is as popular as Nollywood. And for an actor who came from a strict household, she has defied all odds, continued achieving success and has never taken her eyes off the prize despite the circumstances.
