Skit-star Layi Wasabi breaks into Nollywood with top blockbuster titles

From viral skits to the silver screen, Layi Wasabi transcends comedy boundaries as he makes a remarkable foray into Nollywood.

When you say the name “Layi Wasabi”, the first thing that comes to mind for a lot of content consumers is hilarious skits. However, the fast-rising creator has proven that he’s not one to be boxed in as he is now exploring other entertainment categories – featuring in some of the biggest Nigerian releases in the movie industry this year.

Layi had his debut Nollywood role with Adire, a heartwarming drama where he played a cheeky, yet hilarious bartender. The film, which was released in November 2023, grossed over ₦31 million at the box office and was among the top 10 movies streamed when it dropped on Netflix in January 2024.

The popular skit maker also starred in Kunle Afolayan’s Aníkúlápó: Rise of the Sceptre, one of top streaming Nigerian Netflix titles since its drop on March 1; and Japa, a sci-fi comedy streaming on Prime Video where he starred alongside popular Nollywood names like Blossom Chukwujekwu and Adesua Etomi.

According to Layi, his foray into Nollywood is something he’d wanted for a long time.
“As much as I enjoy comedy, acting is something else that I like doing,” he shared. “I really enjoyed working on these ones and I look forward to starring in even more screen productions.”

For him, watching himself on the screen alongside other names he grew up watching is a great feeling.
“I’m incredibly pleased and proud of myself for the work that I put in during these productions. I’m also really excited for my future.”

The Nigerian entertainment industry is experiencing exponential growth and Layi is glad that he can be a part of it on two fronts – content creation and acting. He has joined the list of skit makers like Broda Shaggi and Mr Macaroni among others who are thriving in the dual niche of skit making and acting.

Layi Wasabi, born Isaac Oláyíwolá, is a 22-year old law graduate from Bowen University. While he started creating funny skits on Instagram in 2020, it wasn’t until some years later that he went viral for his The Law and Mr Richard depictions. In 2023, the Osogbo-born creator moved to Lagos after signing a deal with talent management agency, Penzaarville Africa.

Layi’s manager, Olufemi Oguntamu, who’s the CEO of Penzaarville Africa, shares that Layi is one of the most multifaceted young talents in the industry right now.

“He has a lot of talent that cannot be reserved to just one space,” he said. “It has always been Layi’s dream to evolve into the big screens and we as a team are happy to see this happen.”

“The Nigerian entertainment space is growing and this growth requires a lot of collaboration to be sustained,” Oguntamu further added.