A chance encounter on a photo shoot set turned into one of Nollywood’s more durable careers, built one likable, slightly spoiled character at a time. Sharon Ooja spent nearly a decade making audiences root for women who did not always deserve it, from a scene-stealing kid sister to a gangster’s daughter, before her personal life took center stage in 2024 and again in 2026. Today she is as well known for her marriage and new motherhood as she is for the roles that got her there.
| Date of Birth | April 6, 1991 |
|---|---|
| Age | 35 years |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Zodiac Sign | Aries |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Net Worth | $300,000 – $800,000 |
| Known For | Skinny Girl in Transit, King of Boys, Glamour Girls |
| Zodiac Sign | Aries |
| Education | Houdegbe North American University, Benin (Mass Communication) |
| Husband | Ugo Nwoke (married 2024) |
| Children | 1 son, nicknamed W.I.N., born May 20, 2026 |
| Ethnicity | Idoma, Benue State |
Biography
Sharon Ooja was born Sharon Ooja Egwurube on April 6, 1991, in Kaduna State. She is of Idoma heritage from Benue State, though she grew up attending boarding schools in Jos, Plateau State, including Kings and Queens School for her primary education and later St. Louis Girls’ College for secondary school. She also spent part of her secondary schooling at Regina Pacis Secondary School in Abuja.
She has three sisters and has spoken about how close-knit her family remained even as her career pulled her away from home. After finishing secondary school, she studied mass communication at Houdegbe North American University in Benin, a degree that lined up naturally with the media career she was about to fall into almost by accident.
That accident came in the form of a photo shoot in Lagos, where a crew from NdaniTV happened to be filming behind-the-scenes footage. The exposure led to a small role in the television series Gidi Up, and from there, Ooja’s move into acting became permanent once she relocated to Lagos in 2013.
Career
Sharon Ooja’s breakout role came as Shalewa, the fashionable and frequently dramatic younger sister on Skinny Girl in Transit, the Ndani TV series that became one of Nigeria’s most watched web productions. The character’s on screen chemistry with co-star Timini Egbuson, who played her love interest Muhammad, helped drive the show’s popularity for several seasons and turned Ooja into one of the platform’s most recognizable faces.
Her film career expanded quickly from there. She played Amaka in Kemi Adetiba’s King of Boys in 2018, a role in one of Nollywood’s most acclaimed crime dramas, and followed it with parts in Bling Lagosians, Lara and the Beat, and the Netflix-distributed Coming from Insanity. She also appeared in Kambili: The Whole 30 Yards alongside Nancy Isime and Toyin Abraham, and in Bad Comments alongside Jim Iyke, an actor whose business ventures off screen have since made him one of the names regularly featured on lists of Nollywood’s richest actors.
In 2022, Ooja took on a lead role in the remake of Glamour Girls, working alongside Nse Ikpe-Etim and Toke Makinwa, though she has said in past interviews that the demanding shoot tested her mentally and physically after she fell ill during filming. She has continued building her filmography with roles in Still Falling, The Modern Woman, Hijack ’93, and Dead Serious alongside comedian Sabinus and veteran actor Nkem Owoh. On television, she starred in The Men’s Club and has held a recurring role on Flawsome, a Showmax original, while also playing the title role in the Netflix series Oloture: The Journey.
Beyond acting, Ooja has built a steady stream of income through brand ambassador deals, having represented companies including Globacom, Schweppes, and jewelry brand Boz Diamonds. She was also selected to represent Nigeria at Netflix’s Bridgerton Affair event in South Africa, a sign of how far her profile had traveled beyond the usual Nollywood press circuit.
Movies
Ooja’s most significant recent film credit is the lead role of Anita in Kunle Afolayan’s psychological thriller Recall, which hit Nigerian cinemas in April 2025. She plays a woman who wakes up with no memory of the last ten years of her life, including her marriage and children, in a film that also features Patience Ozokwor, Shan George, Muyiwa Ademola, Bimbo Akintola, and Tina Mba. It marked one of her most demanding roles to date, carrying a film built almost entirely around her character’s unraveling sense of reality.
She also appeared in Funke Akindele’s Finding Me, which began streaming on Amazon Prime Video in March 2025, joining an ensemble cast that included Shaffy Bello, Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Omoni Oboli, and Tina Mba in a story about a woman rebuilding her sense of self-worth. Together with her earlier work in King of Boys, Kambili: The Whole 30 Yards, and Glamour Girls, these 2025 credits round out a filmography that has increasingly paired her with some of Nollywood’s biggest directors and producers.
Personal Life
Sharon Ooja’s most talked about storyline in recent years has had nothing to do with a film set. In an interview with BellaNaija, Ooja said she met her now husband, Ugo Nwoke, through her sister after coming out of a difficult breakup, and despite her early reluctance, the relationship moved quickly. She and Nwoke dated for about two and a half months before getting engaged, and married roughly two months later.
Their traditional wedding was held on June 27, 2024, followed by a white wedding on June 29, 2024, under the hashtag Love Unites Us 24. In that same BellaNaija interview, Ooja described the whirlwind romance as nothing short of a miracle, and the ceremony drew a large turnout of Nollywood figures, including Nancy Isime and Beverly Osu, among others. Her husband works in business, though online reports about his age and prior relationships have been inconsistent, and friends of the couple have publicly disputed some of the more sensational claims.
The couple welcomed their first child, a son, in 2026. Ooja announced the birth on social media, describing her pregnancy as a deeply private, prayerful season and referring to her newborn by the nickname Win. The announcement marked another major life milestone coming just two years after her wedding, and fans online have continued to celebrate the news alongside her.
Sharon Ooja Net Worth
Sharon Ooja’s net worth is estimated to fall between $300,000 and $500,000, a range grounded in her decade-long run of film and television roles, brand ambassador income from companies like Globacom and Schweppes, and modeling work that runs alongside her acting career.
Her steady presence across streaming platforms, including Netflix and Showmax, has helped diversify her income beyond traditional cinema releases, and her name regularly comes up alongside other actresses featured on lists of the richest Nollywood actresses working today. With her profile boosted further by her wedding and the birth of her son, both of which drew significant attention among the most followed Nigerian celebrities on Instagram, her earning potential through endorsements looks likely to keep growing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Sharon Ooja? Sharon Ooja was born on April 6, 1991, making her 35 years old as of 2026.
Who is Sharon Ooja’s husband? She is married to Ugo Nwoke, whom she wed in a traditional ceremony on June 27, 2024, followed by a white wedding two days later.
Does Sharon Ooja have children? Yes. She and her husband welcomed their first child, a son, in 2026, whom she has referred to by the nickname Win.
What is Sharon Ooja known for? She is best known for playing Shalewa in Skinny Girl in Transit and Amaka in Kemi Adetiba’s King of Boys.
What is Sharon Ooja’s net worth? Her net worth is estimated between $300,000 and $800,000, built from acting fees, brand ambassador deals, and modeling work.
What is Sharon Ooja’s latest movie? Her most recent film work includes the lead role in Kunle Afolayan’s Recall and a supporting role in Funke Akindele’s Finding Me, both released in 2025.






















