Once upon a time in Nollywood, if you wanted to be famous, you had to hustle. And it was not the social media hustle, rather the old school hustle.

You would attend open auditions in Oshodi, borrow transport fare to make it to film sets, endure insults from ADs who barely knew your name, and hope that one day you would graduate from playing “passerby 2” to a role with actual dialogue.

Fast forward to 2025, and the new wave of actors is doing it differently. They are skipping casting calls and diving straight into Nollywood, armed with only a smartphone, a tripod, and an Instagram page.

From skit to screen, the mantle has shifted. And if you are still doubting the power of these digital creators, then clearly you have not seen Layi Wasabi in action.

Meet the Skit Stars Taking Nollywood by Storm

Photo Credit: Layi Wasabi IG

The courtroom and GNCC king of Instagram, Layi Wasabi, built an empire out of satire. His skits, shot in what looks like the vibes of an independent lawyer and the journey of a get-rich-quick agent, are not just funny, they are layered, socially intelligent, and brilliantly scripted.

He has become the go-to guy for legal comedy, a genre we did not even know we needed. But beyond the laughs, Layi is now proving his range in Nollywood films like Everybody Loves Jenifa and others. His journey from a skit maker to a screen actor is not just impressive; it is symbolic.

A symbolic of a shift where creators no longer have to beg for seats at the table because they are the table.

Photo Credit: Taooma IG Page

Take Taooma, for example. Her genius lies in multiplicity. She plays mother, father, daughter, even nosy neighbor and somehow makes them all distinct. Her transitions are smoother than most big-budget edits, and her facial expressions deserve a whole masterclass.

She does not just do comedy. She does theatre, cinematography, scripting, directing all in one minute. Now, as she has been tapped for movie roles and collaborative scripts, her storytelling prowess is finding space on bigger stages.

The fans who discovered her through skits are showing up to watch her in films. That is influence.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

And let us talk about Lasisi Elenu. The man whose “big mouth” filter and furious rants once had Instagram in a chokehold. A lot of people thought it was just noise. But beneath that digital distortion was a performer who understood satire, voice modulation, timing, and delivery.

His debut in The Razz Guy on Netflix was a major moment, a signal that streaming platforms and Nollywood directors were no longer looking past skit makers. They were looking to them.

Skit Making Is Not a Joke — It Is Storytelling in Motion

Because the truth remains that skit-making is no joke. It takes scripting, direction, performance, sound editing, colour grading, comic timing, and audience reading.

You do all that, alone, several times a week, and you don’t think that is real acting? These guys have been in film school without even knowing it.

Traditional Nollywood Was Skeptical, But Audiences Weren’t

But of course, not everyone was excited about the rise of skit makers. The traditional film community was suspicious. Some saw them as interlopers, clout-chasers who had not “paid their dues.”

You would hear comments like, “Instagram people want to act now?” or “They are just influencers with ring lights.” But while critics mocked, the numbers spoke.

Skit makers had millions of loyal fans. Their content traveled fast. When they acted in movies, people watched, not because of billboards, but because of a sense of personal connection.

That was why Mr Macaroni’s transition was so seamless. His “freaky freaky daddy” character was never just comic relief, it was a caricature of a societal problem, wrapped in the oxblood agbada and hilarity.

People laughed, yes, but they also paid attention. And when Macaroni began to take on more serious roles, the shift felt natural. He was not just a skit maker. He was an actor who had been acting all along.

Why Skit Makers Are Nollywood’s Secret Weapon

Ever wondered why these creators work so well in film? This is because they come with built-in audiences. Directors do not have to worry about marketing from scratch, the buzz is already there. And more importantly, these creators understand performance under pressure.

They are used to limited resources, tight turnaround times, and audience feedback in real time. That is a bootcamp most actors never get.

The Challenges of Going From Skits to Cinema

Still, it is not all rosy. Not every skit maker is built for the screen. Some struggle with pacing, depth, or adapting to ensemble cast dynamics.

Acting in a skit where you control the whole thing is very different from collaborating on a film set with multiple people and longer scripts.

We have seen some high-profile flops. We have seen audiences recoil when the energy that works in a 1-minute skit overstays its welcome in a 90-minute film. The shift requires growth, training, and humility.

A New Era: Skit Stars Are Nollywood’s Present and Future

But for those who make the leap like Layi, Taooma, Lasisi, Macaroni, and the likes of KieKie and Broda Shaggi, it is very clear that the limitation is gone.

These are not “social media comedians” anymore. They are multi-format storytellers, cross-platform performers, and Nollywood's present generation. And they are forcing the industry to evolve.

Filmmakers are now writing scripts for skit makers. Studios are hiring influencers as leads not just for buzz, but because they can deliver. Social media platforms have become casting arenas. And the definition of “celebrity” has been stretched and reshaped.

Some call it the TikTok-ification of Nollywood. Others call it the democratization of fame. But one thing is sure: the gatekeepers are no longer in charge. The audience is. And the audience has spoken.

Don’t Underestimate the Next Skit You Scroll Past

They want laughs, yes. But they also want authenticity, relatability, and presence.

And that is what these skit makers have in abundance.

So the next time you see a funny Instagram video, don’t just laugh and scroll past. You might be looking at Nollywood’s next leading man or woman.

From skit to screen, the journey is no longer unusual. It is the new normal.