MTV Shuga Naija Reveals New Cast for Season 5

MTV Shuga Naija, an initiative of the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, is back for a fifth season and boasts a strong cast to increase the impact of the taboo-defying edutainment TV series.

The fifth season, which will premiere in April this year, will focus on storylines about gender-based violence and COVID-19 while continuing to focus on HIV prevention.

Behind the camera, the focus is on empowering female creatives, with an 80 percent female crew, while in front of the camera, an exciting lineup of new faces will be crowned by sensational actresses and co-stars in the Netflix series ‘Far from Home ‘ , Genoveva Umeh and Gbubemi Ejeye.

Susan Pwajok, best known onscreen for her role in the popular Nigerian family drama series The Johnsons, has also been announced as a cast member, as well as much-loved Pan-African member of the MTV Base Culture Squad, Ilooise Omohinmi. Other new cast members announced include high-profile talents Maggie Osuome, Lexan Peters, Ben Touitou, Kem Ajieh Ikechukwu, Okey Uzoeshi, John Njamah, Kiki Omeili, Chioma Edak, Francis Onwochei and Bolaji Ogunmola.

Last year, MTV Shuga Naija launched a search for exceptional young talent through online auditions that received over a thousand applications.

The two winners of these auditions – Kanaga Emmanuel Eme and Chioma Edak – have been chosen to play lead roles in the show, while others selected will play supporting roles.

Returning MTV Shuga actors include Adesua Etomi-Wellington (Far From Home, Falling, Sugar Rush), Tomiwa Tegbe (My Siblings and I) and Sharon Jatto (The Griot).

“A new cast always means deeper, richer stories and, of course, more drama,” says Adesua Etomi-Wellington.

“Given the importance of the conversation we are making mainstream, I am so excited to be a part of the new season, and excited to share the screen with this group of very talented individuals and proud new members of the MTV Shuga Naija family . she added.

“The cast of MTV Shuga Naija are not only actors, but also ambassadors for our edutainment campaign. They work tirelessly to ensure our messages reach and positively impact millions of young Nigerians, empowering them to make better decisions about their health and lives,” said Anita Adesiyan, Country Manager, MTV Shuga Naija.

Season five of MTV Shuga Naija promises brand new storylines, new characters and a self-contained story, so a new audience is welcome, as well as the return of the MTV Shuga fans across Nigeria. The magic of MTV Shuga lies in the research done with young people in Nigeria, which informs about the social and health topics covered in the series and ensures that the storyline reflects the lives of the youth they hope to teach. Their mission is to drive social change among young people, a mission they share with a number of like-minded organisations.

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