Nigerian State with highest number of BBNaija winners

Since the record-breaking season 5 Lockdown edition, the Big Brother Naija reality television show has risen to become the most popular entertainment show in Western Africa. It has garnered a massive viewership, surpassing 200 million viewers in a single season, making it the most sought-after program in the region.

The television franchise, which is owned by South Africa’s Multichoice group, has gained popularity across the African continent, particularly in Nigeria, where it has captured the attention of a larger viewership compared to any other country on the continent. This esteemed entertainment show made its debut for Nigerian audiences in 2006, coinciding with the time when the controversial African version, faced being blacklisted.

The reality show initially premiered on March 5, 2006, and aired until June 4 of the same year. After a hiatus, the second season was launched in January 2017 and the show has been aired annually since then. Over the years, the show has produced a total of eight winners, spanning from 2006 to 2023. This brings us to the main focus of this discussion: identifying which Nigerian state has produced the highest number of BBNaija show winners.

Geopolitical representation

When reviewing the list of winners, it’s important to note that Imo, a state in South-Eastern Nigeria, has produced two winners: Miracle Igbokwe from season 3 and Mercy Eke from season 4. In terms of Southern Nigeria, two winners have emerged, namely Michael Efe Ejeba from season 2 and Josephina Phyna Ijeoma Otabor from season 7. However, because these winners hail from different Southern States (Delta and Edo, respectively), some may argue against counting them together.

In terms of geopolitical zones, the South-East has produced three winners: Miracle Igbokwe from Imo State, Mercy Eke from Imo State, and Hazel Whitemoney Onoduenyi from Enugu State. Following that, the South-South comes in second with winners Michael Efe Ejeba from Delta State and Josephina Ijeoma Otabor from Edo State. The North-West has produced winner Katung Aduwak from Kaduna State, while the North-Central is represented by the All Stars winner, Ilebaye Odiniya from Kogi State. Lastly, the South-West has one winner, Laycon Olamilekan Massoud Al-Khalifah Agbeleshebioba from Ogun State.

Imo State leads (at the moment)

In the South-Eastern State of Imo, which is one of the thirty-five states in Nigeria, two remarkable individuals have emerged as winners of the popular reality TV show, Big Brother Naija. Both Miracle Ikechukwu Igbokwe and Mercy Chinenyenwa Eke hail from this state. Miracle was the victor of the 2018 season 3 Double Wahala edition, while Mercy secured the prize in the following season 4 Pepper Dem edition. It’s quite remarkable to note the consecutive victories from the same state, showcasing the extraordinary coincidence and success that followed from Miracle’s season to Mercy’s.

As the show continues, it’s possible that additional Nigerian states could be added to this list. Alternatively, Imo State might emerge as the sole focus in the future.

Here is the tabular representation of the winners of Big Brother Naija, including their respective seasons and the states they originate from.