Sharon Ooja is a Nigerian actress who has built a strong reputation in Nollywood through television, streaming productions and feature films. She is particularly known for her roles in Skinny Girl in Transit, Òlòtūré, Glamour Girls, King of Boys, The Men’s Club, Flawsome and Hijack ’93. Her career has developed from supporting television roles into major film and streaming performances.
Who Is Sharon Ooja?
Sharon Ooja Egwurube, professionally known as Sharon Ooja, is a Nigerian actress, model, television personality and brand ambassador. She was born on April 6, 1991, in Kaduna State and is from the Idoma ethnic group in Benue State. She spent part of her childhood in Jos, Plateau State, where she completed her primary education.
As of September 2026, Sharon Ooja is 35 years old. She has become one of the recognizable faces of contemporary Nigerian screen entertainment, especially through her work in television series and streaming productions.
Early Life and Family Background
Sharon Ooja was born into a family with roots in Benue State. Although she was born in Kaduna, she spent her early years in Jos and later attended secondary school in different parts of Nigeria.
She attended Kings and Queens School in Jos for her primary education. For secondary school, she attended St. Louis Girls’ College in Jos and Regina Pacis Secondary School in Garki II, Abuja. Both were boarding schools.
Her upbringing across Kaduna, Plateau and Abuja exposed her to different Nigerian environments and cultures before she eventually moved to Lagos to pursue a career in entertainment.
Education
Sharon Ooja studied Mass Communication at Houdegbe North American University in Cotonou, Benin Republic. Her academic background gave her exposure to communication and media, areas that later became useful as she developed a career in acting, presenting and entertainment.
Her transition from Mass Communication into acting was not based on a long-standing childhood career in Nollywood. Instead, an unexpected opportunity eventually opened the door for her.
How Sharon Ooja Started Acting
Sharon Ooja moved to Lagos in 2013, and her entry into acting came through a rather unusual opportunity.
According to accounts of her early career, she was involved in a photo session for a store when Ndani TV was filming behind-the-scenes content. She was subsequently invited for an audition and eventually received a small role in Gidi Up.
That early opportunity helped introduce her to professional television production. She later secured the role that would significantly change her public profile.
Sharon Ooja became widely recognized after playing Shalewa in Ndani TV’s popular web series Skinny Girl in Transit.
Shalewa was a stylish, outspoken and sometimes unpredictable character, and Ooja’s performance helped make the role one of the most recognizable characters in the series. Her portrayal demonstrated her ability to combine comedy, drama and personality-driven storytelling.
The series became an important stage in her career and helped establish her as a familiar face among younger Nigerian television audiences.
Breakthrough With Òlòtūré
One of the most important roles in Sharon Ooja’s career came with Òlòtūré, the Nigerian drama about human trafficking.
Ooja played the title character, a journalist who goes undercover while investigating a trafficking network. The demanding role gave her an opportunity to move beyond the lighter television characters that had initially brought her attention.
She later reprised the character in Òlòtūré: The Journey, a Netflix and EbonyLife Studios production that continued the story in episodic form.
Her work in the Òlòtūré productions became an important part of her reputation as an actress capable of handling more serious dramatic material.
Over the years, Sharon Ooja has appeared in numerous Nigerian films and television productions.
Some of her notable movie credits include:
- Òlòtūré
- Bling Lagosians
- King of Boys
- Lara and the Beat
- Moms at War
- Coming from Insanity
- Who’s the Boss
- Bad Comments
- Kambili: The Whole 30 Yards
- Still Falling
- The Perfect Arrangement
- Glamour Girls
- The Modern Woman
- Dead Serious
- Hijack ’93
Her television and streaming credits include Gidi Up, Skinny Girl in Transit, The Men’s Club, Assistant Madams, Flawsome and Òlòtūré: The Journey.
Another significant television role came through Flawsome, a Showmax original series in which Sharon Ooja played Ivie.
The series focused on the lives, careers, friendships and relationships of four young women. Ooja’s performance added another dimension to her television career and placed her alongside other prominent Nigerian actresses in a contemporary drama built for a streaming audience.
In 2022, Sharon Ooja appeared in Netflix’s Glamour Girls, playing Emma.
The production was a remake of the earlier Nigerian film and featured an ensemble cast including Nse Ikpe-Etim and Toke Makinwa. Ooja’s involvement further strengthened her relationship with major streaming productions.
Ooja was also part of the cast of Hijack ’93, a Nigerian film released in 2024. She played Ada in the production.
The film added another major streaming title to her growing list of screen credits and showed her continued presence in large-scale Nigerian productions.
Although acting is her main profession, Sharon Ooja has also worked as a presenter, model, influencer and brand ambassador.
In 2017, she co-hosted the GTBank Fashion Week red carpet with fellow Nigerian entertainer Timini Egbuson. She has also worked with commercial brands and maintained a strong social media presence throughout her career.
Her communication background has therefore remained relevant beyond her acting work.
Sharon Ooja is married to Ugo Nwoke.
The couple reportedly dated for approximately two and a half months before getting married. Ooja announced that she had privately completed a civil wedding ceremony in March 2024.
Their traditional wedding took place on June 27, 2024, followed by their white wedding on June 29, 2024. The ceremonies attracted considerable attention from Nollywood personalities and Nigerian entertainment media.
The actress has generally kept aspects of her private family life away from the center of her professional career.
In May 2026, Sharon Ooja publicly announced the birth of her baby boy through her social media account. The announcement generated significant attention among her fans and followers.
Her transition into motherhood has added a new chapter to her personal life while she continues to maintain her professional activities in Nollywood.
Sharon Ooja has remained active in entertainment during 2026. Her social media activity indicates that she continues to engage with acting opportunities and entertainment projects.
In September 2026, she shared content promoting People the Series, noting that the production was streaming on Netflix.
Her continuing involvement in streaming productions reflects the direction of her career, which has increasingly moved beyond traditional Nigerian television into major digital platforms.
Awards and Recognition
Sharon Ooja has received nominations and recognition during her career. Her documented nominations include the Best of Nollywood Awards and NET Honours.
She was nominated for Revelation of the Year, Female, at the 2019 Best of Nollywood Awards. In 2020, she received Best Supporting Actress and Best Kiss nominations at the Best of Nollywood Awards for Bling Lagosians. She was also nominated for Most Popular Actress at the 2021 NET Honours.
What Makes Sharon Ooja Popular?
Sharon Ooja’s popularity has been built through a combination of television roles, film performances, streaming projects and her public presence outside acting.
Her career also demonstrates the changing nature of Nollywood. She first became widely recognized through a web series, expanded into television and cinema, and subsequently became part of major Netflix and Showmax productions.
Her performances in Skinny Girl in Transit, Òlòtūré, Flawsome, Glamour Girls and other productions have helped establish her as a versatile contemporary Nollywood actress.
As of 2026, Sharon Ooja remains active as an actress and entertainment personality. At 35, she has already built more than a decade of professional experience since moving to Lagos in 2013.
From her early appearance in Gidi Up to her breakthrough as Shalewa and later leading roles in major Nigerian productions, her career has followed a steady progression across television, cinema and streaming.
Her recent family milestone and continued involvement in streaming projects mark another stage in a career that continues to develop within Nigeria’s expanding entertainment industry.
1. How old is Sharon Ooja?
Sharon Ooja was born on April 6, 1991. She is 35 years old as of 2026. She was born in Kaduna State, Nigeria, and has roots in Benue State.
2. Who is Sharon Ooja’s husband?
Sharon Ooja is married to Ugo Nwoke. The couple had a private civil wedding before celebrating their traditional and white wedding ceremonies in June 2024.
3. What is Sharon Ooja best known for?
Sharon Ooja is particularly known for playing Shalewa in Skinny Girl in Transit and Òlòtūré in the film and subsequent series Òlòtūré: The Journey. She has also appeared in Flawsome, Glamour Girls, King of Boys, Bling Lagosians, Hijack ’93 and Dead Serious.
4. Where is Sharon Ooja from?
Sharon Ooja was born in Kaduna State and grew up partly in Jos, Plateau State. She is from the Idoma ethnic group in Benue State, according to published biographical profiles.
5. Does Sharon Ooja have a child?
Yes. Sharon Ooja announced the birth of her baby boy in May 2026 through social media.
