Nollywood actor, producer, and filmmaker Ruth Kadiri has won the YouTube Influencer of the Year award at the 2025 Pulse Influencer Awards, held in Lagos.
Kadiri, who has built one of the most successful film platforms on YouTube, was honoured for her consistent output, audience reach, and impact on how African stories are consumed online. Her win places her at the forefront of a growing generation of Nigerian filmmakers who are bypassing traditional cinema and television distribution to reach viewers directly through digital platforms.
Her flagship YouTube channel, RuthKadiri247, has become one of Nigeria’s leading digital film hubs.
As of late 2025, the channel had garnered approximately 3.6 million subscribers and surpassed 742 million total views. The platform is known for its frequent release of full-length Nollywood films and series, many of which attract millions of views within days of upload.
As an actor and producer, she has demonstrated that African stories can thrive on global platforms while retaining their cultural identity.
Her films often focus on everyday relationships, family dynamics and social issues, themes that resonate with viewers across different regions.
The Pulse Influencer Award adds to a list of honours Kadiri has received in recent years.
In 2025, YouTube recognised her as one of Nigeria’s top female creators during its 20th-anniversary celebrations, citing her role in redefining storytelling in the digital age.
She also won the Global ELOY Award for Digital Film and Innovation, a recognition of her work at the intersection of film, technology and audience development.
Her recent releases, including Sunshine and I Chose You, recorded millions of views shortly after their release, further strengthening her reputation as one of Nollywood’s most successful digital filmmakers.
The steady performance of her films has also positioned her as a reference point for upcoming creators seeking sustainable careers outside the traditional film distribution system.
Beyond English-speaking audiences, Kadiri has played a key role in expanding Nollywood’s reach into Francophone Africa.
She runs a French-language television and digital platform, FrenchTV247, which has attracted nearly two million subscribers and more than 200 million views. Through this platform, she distributes dubbed and
adapted Nollywood content to French-speaking viewers across Africa and beyond.
Her engagement in Francophone markets goes beyond online distribution. Kadiri has embarked on physical tours and audience engagements in several French-speaking countries, helping to strengthen cultural exchange and deepen connections between Nollywood and new audiences.
While Kadiri’s win in the YouTube category was one of the highlights of the night, the 2025 Pulse Influencer Awards also celebrated other notable figures in Nigeria’s digital and entertainment space.
Actor Funke Akindele won Most Influential Actress of the Year, health influencer Nonso Egemba, popularly known as Aproko Doctor, won the Health and Fitness Influencer award, while content creator Bukunmi Adeaga-Ilori, popularly known as KieKie, emerged as Instagram Influencer of the Year.
