Between 2008 and 2016, MTN Project Fame West Africa drew viewers across Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. Dozens of contestants passed through the Academy. Some won and faded, while others never lifted the trophy but built careers that shaped Nigerian music.
See some of the names still on your radio
IYANYA
Season 1 Winner (2008)
The first-ever winner. Broke into the mainstream with “Kukere” in 2012 and has stayed active ever since. Co-founder of Made Men Music Group with Ubi Franklin. Latest EP: “Rumberas” (2026).
CHIDINMA
Season 3 Winner (2010)
Arguably the show’s most commercially successful winner. Won at 19, delivered “Kedike” two years later. Now one of the leading gospel music voices. Third gospel album, “The Road Best Travelled”, dropped in March 2025
AYOOLA AYOLOLA
Season 5 Winner (2012)
Won the season, then built his biggest career in acting. Best known as Mide (Olumide Macaulay) in Ndani TV’s “Skinny Girl in Transit”.
NINIOLA
Season 6, Third Runner-up (2013)
The Queen of Afro-house. Broke fully into the mainstream with “Maradona” in 2017. Grammy-certified composer on Beyoncé’s “The Lion King: The Gift” (2019).
JOHNNY DRILLE
Season 6, 10th Place (2013)
Finished 10th in the competition but kept releasing acoustic covers on YouTube, drawing the attention of Don Jazzy. Now Mavin Records’ leading alternative and folk-pop voice. His sophomore album “Before The Morning Light” dropped in May 2026.
CHIKE
Season 8, Top 10 (2015)
Made the Top 10 before disqualification, then went to The Voice Nigeria as first runner-up. His career includes hits like “Boo of the Booless”, “Egwu” with the late Mohbad, and a lauded performance in the Prime Video blockbuster “Gangs of Lagos”.
| JEFF AKOH Season 8 Winner (2015)Jeff won at 18, becoming the youngest winner in the show’s history. He studied sound engineering at SAE Institute in Cape Town, then signed with Temple Music. His debut album “Lokoja” (2017) was distributed globally by Roc Nation. Recently, he released a single, “Dreamer” with Ric Hassani (2025). |
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