Uzee Usman Biography: Awards, Age, Wife, Movies, Net Worth, State of Origin

Uzee Usman, full name Uzee Usman Adeyemi, is a Nigerian actor, film producer, and television host best known for bridging the gap between Nollywood and Kannywood, Nigeria’s Hausa-language film industry.

He has built a career as one of the few entertainers who successfully fuses Southern Nigerian and Northern Nigerian filmmaking styles, casts, and storytelling traditions into single productions.

Uzee Usman got famous through his unique role as a cross-cultural bridge in Nigerian cinema. He began his journey in the industry in 2003 as a make-up artist, a role that earned him the Best Makeup Artist award at the 2008 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for the film “London Boy.”

In 2013, he transitioned into film production, where his ability to combine Nollywood and Kannywood talents produced award-winning films such as “Oga Abuja,” which won Best Hausa Movie of the Year at the 2013 City People Entertainment Awards, and “Maja,” which won Best Film of the Year (Kannywood) at the 2014 City People Entertainment Awards.

He further rose to national prominence as the lead actor in “Voiceless,” and later gained mainstream Nollywood recognition for major roles in blockbuster films such as “Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre” and “A Tribe Called Judah,” Nigeria’s highest-grossing film as of 2023.

Uzee Usman is known for acting, film producing, hosting the popular talk show “Taurarin Zamani,” and for his pioneering efforts in uniting Nollywood and Kannywood, Nigeria’s two major film industries, through cross-cultural collaborations.

Profile

Early Life

Uzee Usman was born Uzee Usman Adeyemi on November 11, 1986, in Kaduna, Kaduna State, in Northern Nigeria.

He is of mixed Yoruba-Hausa-Fulani heritage; his father is Yoruba from Kwara State, while his mother is Fulani from Zaria, Kaduna State.

Although his family’s roots trace back to Kwara State, Usman and his siblings were all born and raised in the North, specifically in Kaduna, and he has stated in interviews that he has never visited his hometown in Kwara State.

He was born into a Muslim family and remains a practicing Muslim. His mixed Northern and Southwestern Nigerian heritage would later become central to his career identity as the entertainer who fuses Nollywood and Kannywood.

Education

Uzee Usman holds two university degrees: one in Political Science from the University of Abuja and another in English Language from the University of Jos. After completing his degrees, he proceeded to South Africa, where he studied Special Effects, a skill that would later support his work as a film producer. In 2021, he was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Media and Communications Studies from Iheris University in Togo, in recognition of his contributions to African media and entertainment.

Career

Uzee Usman’s career in the Nigerian film industry began in 2003 when he worked as a make-up artist, a role in which he excelled enough to win the Best Makeup Artist award at the 2008 African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for the film “London Boy.” By 2010, he had moved into production management, producing his debut film “Under” in Ghana, before fully committing to filmmaking in 2013 with a clear focus: fusing the storytelling styles of Nollywood (Southern Nigeria’s film industry) and Kannywood (Northern Nigeria’s Hausa-language film industry).

His production “Oga Abuja” (2013) won Best Hausa Movie of the Year at the City People Entertainment Awards, while “Maja” (2014) won Best Film of the Year (Kannywood) at the same awards and earned a Best Picture nomination at the 2014 Nigeria Entertainment Awards. Around this period, Usman also created and hosted “Taurarin Zamani,” a talk show centered on prominent Northern Nigerian personalities, which became one of the biggest talk shows in Northern Nigeria, airing on Africa Magic Hausa.

Encouraged by filmmaker Rogers Ofime to move from behind the camera to in front of it, Usman took on the lead role in “Voiceless,” which helped establish him as a recognized actor beyond production. He went on to feature in numerous Kannywood and Nollywood titles, including “Har Da Mijina” (2014), “Pappu” (2016), “Fantastic Numbers” (2018), “Mustapha” (2019), and “Farin Jini” (2021). His mainstream Nollywood breakthrough came with major roles in “Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre” (2024), Kunle Afolayan’s Netflix production, where he played the character Kuranga, and “A Tribe Called Judah” (2023), Funke Akindele’s blockbuster which grossed over ₦1.086 billion and became Nigeria’s highest-grossing film at the time, in which he played Adamu Judah. He also appeared in “Everybody Loves Jenifa” (2024). As a producer, Usman has produced over 30 films across both Kannywood and Nollywood throughout his career.

Awards & Nominations

• 2008 — Best Makeup Artist, African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), for “London Boy”
• 2013 — Best Hausa Movie of the Year, City People Entertainment Awards, for “Oga Abuja”
• 2014 — Best Film of the Year (Kannywood), City People Entertainment Awards, for “Maja”
• 2014 — Best Picture Nomination, Nigeria Entertainment Awards, for “Maja”
• 2014 — Best Movie of the Year, African Magic Viewers Choice Awards
• 2016 — Best Movie Producer, African Hollywood Awards, London
• 2016 — Young Entrepreneur of the Year, National Heritage Awards
• 2021 — Honorary Doctorate Degree in Media & Communications Studies, Iheris University, Togo
• United Nations Peace Achievers Award
• 2024 — Listed among 100 Most Influential Nollywood Actors by YNaija
• 2024 — Listed among 100 Most Notable African Peace Icons (2023-2024)

Social Media

Uzee Usman maintains an active presence on social media platforms including Instagram, where he shares updates about his film projects, his talk show “Taurarin Zamani,” and his brand ambassadorial work, engaging a large following across both Northern and Southern Nigerian audiences given his cross-industry appeal.

Personal Life

Uzee Usman is currently unmarried and has largely kept his relationship life private. In a December 2018 interview, he stated that he was too busy with work to focus on marriage or relationships. In 2021, he played a groom in a wedding scene for the TV series “Farin Jini,” and photos from the staged wedding went viral, with many fans mistakenly believing he had actually gotten married. He comes from a Muslim family with both Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani heritage, and he has spoken publicly about his pride in this dual identity, including his role in “Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre,” where audiences heard him speak Yoruba on screen for the first time. In May 2023, he was announced as a brand ambassador for TAJBank, reflecting his broad commercial appeal across Nigeria.

Net Worth

Uzee Usman’s estimated net worth is reported to range between $350,000 and $700,000 (roughly N350 million to N700 million), built primarily through his decades-long career as a film producer, actor, television host, and brand ambassador.

As CEO of Uzee Concept and a producer credited with over 30 films, his income streams span acting fees, production revenue, hosting fees from “Taurarin Zamani,” and brand endorsement deals such as his ambassadorship with TAJBank.

Filmography

• Oga Abuja (2013) — Producer
• Maja (2014) — Producer
• Har Da Mijina (2014)
• Voiceless — Lead Actor
• Pappu (2016)
• Fantastic Numbers (2018)
• Mustapha (2019)
• Farin Jini (2021)
• A Tribe Called Judah (2023) — as Adamu Judah
• Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre (2024) — as Kuranga
• Everybody Loves Jenifa (2024)
• Ejiro’s Wish (2024)
• Sin, Family Brouhaha, Tender Devotion (2025) — Producer and Actor

Conclusion

Uzee Usman stands out as one of Nigeria’s most versatile entertainment figures, having built a career that uniquely bridges Nollywood and Kannywood.

From his humble start as a make-up artist in 2003 to becoming an award-winning producer, sought-after actor, popular TV host, and respected entrepreneur, his journey reflects persistence, cultural pride, and creative innovation.

With continued appearances in blockbuster Nollywood films and his ongoing efforts to unite Nigeria’s film industries, Uzee Usman remains an influential and inspiring figure in African cinema.