Just when some thought that making somebody laugh was just for fun, some smart practitioners turned it into a lucrative business and these days, comedians live lavishly, which has now brought about an influx of people into the sector of the entertainment industry.
In no particular order, these are some of the highest paid comedians in Nigeria as well as their estimated worth, according to Vanguard.
Ali Baba
Often called the godfather of comedy by most of his younger colleagues, Alibaba is believed to be one of the richest comedians in the land. It is believed that he is worth about N3billion. He performs for the high and mighty in the society and earns an estimated N400 million per annum.
Basketmouth
With packed shows within and outside the country, Basketmouth commands lots of attention. He boasts of swollen pockets and fat bank accounts. With an estimated net worth of N2billion naira, he makes N192million per annum and about N120 million in endorsement deals.
I Go Dye
His net worth is believed to be over N2 billion and earns about N300 to N500 million per year. He is the CEO of a construction company and heads a real estate and property company. He also enjoys a working relationship with some governors.
Julius Agwu
Julius is the organiser of two sold out shows; Crack Ya Ribs and Laugh For Christ Sake. The comedian ranks among the richest in Nigeria. With a state-of-the-art visual and audio studio, he also rakes in millions of Naira. He is reported to charge close to N3million per show. He is thought to net worth about N1.5 billion and makes about N180 million yearly.
AY
The brain behind the successful ‘AY Live’ is said to charge between one to two million Naira per event. His own show alone is said to give him close to N180 million annually and earns about N280 million per annum. AY is the proud of a night club called MVP and he boasts of some exotic cars and choice properties. He is said to be worth about N800 million.
Gbenga Adeyinka
He has become a top choice among many politicians in the South West, where he anchors political and other high ranking events.
Okey Bakasi
This comedian is a darling of some big political bigwigs in the South East. At a time, he was appointed a Senior Special Assistant on Entertainment to a state governor. He is said to own choice houses in Imo State and abroad.
Tee A
His specialty seems to be anchoring wedding ceremonies and other social functions. He has choice properties and an event company.
Bovi
He has enjoyed some mouth-watery endorsement deals worth millions of Naira. The comedian rakes a lot of money from anchoring corporate and social functions in the country.
Yaw
This radio presenter is one of the richest humour merchants in Nigeria. It is said that he made one of his biggest money from an endorsement deal he signed with a telecoms giant in the country. Yaw is reportedly into equipment leasing and anchors events.
