The curtains have opened to yet another Big Brother Naija season. The latest season premiered on Saturday, July 23rd with a dozen housemates introduced to fans and then to Big Brother’s house. The second opening day saw another set of 12 BBNaija housemates make their way into Big Brother’s house number two. As most fans of the reality TV show already know, the housemates have been split into two houses, the first set collectively referred to as Level 2 are camped in one house while the second set aka Level 1 are together in a different house. This brings the total of BBNaija housemates for the Level Up season to 24, 12 females and 12 males.
Social media has been set abuzz from the get-go with varying opinions about the housemate’s first impressions. Big brother has also received some tongue-lashing for his choice of interior decor, hopefully, this won’t hamper on the show’s entertainment value. The housemates are in and ready to play with hopes to level up to the finale. Yet to pick a fave? Read through to discover each of the BBNaija housemates competing in the Level Up season.
Phyna describes herself as a short-tempered lady who is very allergic to malice and gossip and will never be found involved in any in the house (we’re watching you lady!) “My view on relationships is: Na mumu dey fall in love,” the born entertainer says, but this is big brother’s house and anything can happen. Phyna’s goal for joining BBNaija was so she could “make a difference.”
Savior is a licensed pharmacist whose first love is acting. He hopes that BBNaija will avail him the opportunity to showcase his acting talents so he can professionally pursue the craft after the show. He is an extrovert who finds it easy to make friends and thus has lots of them. His obsession with a neat space, he says could be a source of contention between him and his fellow housemates. Savior is emotional and competitive.
Khalid is a freelance graphic designer and muralist who engages in extreme sports (such as skateboarding, and archery) for fun. He has a charismatic personality and enjoys having deep meaningful conversations with like minds. His other interests include mythology, basketball, and anime.
Kess is a married man who adores his family. He is a diehard fan of BBNaija and being a housemate is a dream come true for him. He is a businessman with many talents spanning from acting to dancing.
A Gen Z graduate of criminology and security studies, Ilebaye describes herself as controversial, adventurous, and a straight-talker. Some of the fun activity she enjoys includes swimming, partying, and bowling. She hopes to utilize her BBnaija fame to promote her business.
The 6 ft 5-inch tall Groovy says he’s single and hopes to find love, so shippers lookout for this one. The UNILAG grad owns a fashion business, models, and does music on the side. He describes himself as being ambitious and is not one to back down from an argument.
Amaka famously said on stage that she hopes to disappoint anyone who thinks a man will win the Level Up Season. She is a bold go-getter who is tough on the outside but soft on the inside. She admits to being a talkative, a trait that helps her stay honest.
Beauty is a former beauty queen who believes in the power of dogged determination. The last of 4 siblings, she holds a law degree but will love to promote her brand after Big Brother. She describes herself as a free-spirit who is open and reliable.
Bryann is a recording artist hoping to get further with his music career after the show. He is an ambivert with good people skills but maintains that he can be forgetful.
Christy O is an extrovert who enjoys having fun and maintains that there’s no dull moment with her. If her life were a movie, it will be titled “The Spice Girl.” She’s a great listener who pays attention to detail and would readily offer a helping hand to anyone in need. She promises to keep her pants on in the house. Her bad side? She is argumentative and blunt.
Cyph is an empath who feels and understands people deeply. He is a graphic designer who wishes he could also paint. Cyph has a competitive spirit which he believes most housemates will not like. He loves food, music, movies, and traveling.
Daniella is a ball of energy who enjoys working out. She’s a creative who loves to write poetry, sing, and dance and hopes to showcase her creative side to the fullest on the show. The sensitive and extremely observant Daniella has a strong dislike for bullies and will stand up to them at every given opportunity.
Chinenyenwa strips at night and works as a chef at dawn. She had a troubled childhood but is determined not to let her difficult experiences define her future. When she gets on the bad side of a fellow housemate, it could likely be due to her smart mouth. She loves drama and is ready to bring it on.
Watch out for Chomzy on the dance floor on Saturday nights as she describes herself as the life of the party who simply enjoys twerking. She hails from a close-knit family and hates betrayals and oppression. She hopes to promote her business on the show and expand it when the show’s done.
He is a fitness enthusiast and creative thinker who graduated with flying colors with an engineering degree. Gideon possesses a fun side that makes him easily likable. He hates drama!
16. Diana
Full Name: Diana Isoken Edobor
Age: 33
State: Edo
House: Level 1
Dual-lingual (French and English) Diana is a project manager by profession and loves to learn about new cultures, however, she hopes to jumpstart an acting career after the show. She is friendly but daring and not one to get easily intimidated.
17. Dotun
Full Name: Oladotun Mofiyinfoluwa Oloniyo
Age: 26
State: Ekiti
House: Level 1
Dotun graduated top of his class with a degree in medical physiology from the prestigious University of Ibadan. When he isn’t fixing up cramped limbs, he loves to keep his own limbs active through work-outs. He is friendly, fun-loving, and competitive, qualities he hopes viewers will find entertaining.
18. Doyin
Full Name: Doyinsola Anuoluwapo David
Age: 26
House: Level 1
Doyin is a medical radiologist but hopes to find a place in the entertainment industry as she considers medicine boring. She’s cheerful and fun but her knack for being blatantly honest makes it difficult for her to keep friends. Doyin says she’s good at manipulating but is a loyal friend who will never back-stab. She hates selfish and self-centered people.
19. Eloswag
Full Name: Eloka Paul Nwamu
Age: 27
State: Delta
House: Level 1
A techie who is confident in his own skin, Eloswag says he has what it takes to make the house fun. He has his way with ladies and is in the house to have fun and network.
20. Hermes
Full Name: Hermes Chibueze Iyele
House: Level 1
Hermes is a dancer and performance artist who has gone intercontinental with his talent. He has choreographed for industry greats like Burna Boy, Davido, and Ajebo Hustlers. He admits to being in a polyamorous relationship with 2 women and hopes to mingle in the house. Basketball is among his favorite pastimes.
21. Sheggz
Full Name: Segun Daniel Olusemo
Age: 26
State: Lagos
House: Level 1
Sheggz is a pro-footballer who after sustaining a sports injury turned his focus towards acting. A London boy who is still in touch with his Naija spirit, Seggz is ambitious, hardworking, and confident. He’s open to finding love in the house.
22. Adekunle
Full Name: Adekunle Tobilola Olopade Adekunle
Age: 27
State: Lagos
House: Level 1
Adekunle is an introvert who when not making money as a digital marketing consultant loves to solve other people’s problems. He’s a peacemaker by nature but not one to cower when being challenged. He considers himself very knowledgeable and would love to win the money to help pay off his mom’s mortgage.
23. Allysyn
Full Name: Osy Allysyn Audu
Age: 25
House: Level 1
A model and social media enthusiast, Allysyn wants to become a full-time social media influencer and TV presenter. She’s a fun-lover, joker, loyal friend sucker for love and is open to finding love in the house.
24. Bella
Full Name: Chidimma Esther Okagbue
Age: 25
“I do not ever want to introduce myself. I want to walk into a room and be recognised. I love a life of comfort and intentional happiness,” Bella says describing the type of life she wants which led her to the BBNaija house. She creates online content and loves photography. She’s a competitor who likes to win all the time and finds it easier befriending guys than girls.
‘I smoked 40 sticks a day for 13 years’: Ebuka opens up on nicotine addiction as Banky W revisits porn struggle
Ebuka Obi-Uchendu says he smoked up to 40 cigarettes daily for 13 years, while Banky W revisited his past pornography addiction on Mentality with Ebuka. Ebuka Obi-Uchendu has revealed that he began smoking in JSS3 and spent the next 13 years addicted to cigarettes, reaching a peak of two packs, roughly 40 sticks, every single day by the time he was in university.
The television host disclosed the latest episode of his podcast Mentality with Ebuka, which aired on Friday, May 22. The episode featured singer and pastor Banky W and medical content creator Aproko Doctor in a candid conversation about addiction, its origins, and the long road out of it.
“I started smoking in JSS3, which is crazy young,” Ebuka said. “It was basically peer pressure, wanting to prove myself, wanting to belong. By the time I was done with secondary school, I had become full-on. Got into university, and by university, I was doing about two packs a day. That’s about 40 sticks of cigarettes every single day.”
He added that his exit from the habit was less a dramatic decision and more a test of willpower. “The last stick of cigarettes I had was in February 2008. I didn’t quit. I just kept saying let me see how much longer I will hold out for, and now it’s been almost 18 years.”
Banky W used the same platform to revisit a confession he had made publicly before, his years-long struggle with pornography addiction, tracing it back to a freshman dormitory in a New York university where a classmate had shared an open hard drive filled with explicit content accessible to the entire floor.
“I wonder how many of us got trapped in that moment,” he said. He described the experience of trying to stop as a confrontation with something far more entrenched than he had anticipated.
“When it’s now time to stop, you realise you’re dealing with demons that are much stronger than you. That was where the reality dawned on me.” He said it took a deliberate journey to reach a place of freedom, and that he has since addressed the issue openly from the pulpit, part of what he described as a growing willingness among pastors to tackle subjects previously considered too uncomfortable for the church.
The episode is the latest in Ebuka’s Mentality series, which has carved out a space for honest, personal conversations that Nigerian public figures rarely have on record.
Kizz Daniel announces that he will be releasing two albums in 2026
After posting his initially scheduled ‘Uncle K’ album in 2025, the hitmaker is making up for it by releasing two projects in 2026. Afrobeats superstar Kizz Daniel is gearing up for a busy year as he announces plans to release two albums.
On May 15, 2026, the hitmaker shared a post on his Instagram story unveiling the titles of two albums he intends to release later in the year. The revelation comes days after he teased what’s expected to be his first release of the year.
“Two albums this year. Thanks for your love and patience,” he posted on his Instagram story.
The prospective projects titled ‘Uncle K’ and ‘Radio Gidi’ will be a follow-up to his 2025 EP ‘Uncle K: Lemon Chase’, which had 7 tracks with guest appearances from FOLA, rapper Odumodublvk, and street pop star Bella Shmurda.
Back in 2025, the award-winning star had earlier shared his plans to release the album ‘Uncle K’ before postponing it after losing his mother-in-law and later releasing the EP that serves as a teaser for what listeners should expect.
With two albums scheduled for 2026, Kizz Daniel appears to be making up for not releasing an LP since the 20-track album ‘Maverick’ in July 2023. In 2024, he dazzled with the hit-filled four-track EP ‘TZA,’ which spawned the hit records ‘Sooner,’ ‘Too Busy To Be Bae,’ and ‘Twe Twe.’
Known for his ability to coin hit records that ride on the familiarity of language and musical simplicity to attract listeners across demographics, fans will be expecting a handful of hit records from his upcoming album.
So far in 2026, he has delivered a guest verse on G4ZI’s ‘Energy’. With his upcoming single expected to be released in the coming weeks, he appears ready for an explosive summer.
In a career that has spanned a decade, Kizz Daniel has become one of Afrobeats’ most reliable hitmakers, with his music finding eager listenership among millions of fans drawn to his witty lyricism and catchy melodies.
Asake Drops fourth studio album M$NEY, featuring DJ Snake, Tiakola Amongst Others
Four albums in, two Grammy nominations to his name, the most entries on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart, and the most-streamed artist on Spotify Nigeria, Asake drops M$NEY, his fourth studio album released on the 1st of May via GIRAN REPUBLIC and EMPIRE.
The 13-track project is Asake’s most sonically varied to date. It opens with a live choral performance (an unusual choice that immediately signals this is not going to be a straightforward Afrobeats record) and moves through orchestral arrangements, jazz-tinged strings, dance production, and amapiano before it is done.
Speaking on the album, Asake said: “M$NEY is a reflection of my spiritual and creative journey. Everything flows from a place of gratitude to God, and every moment that’s shaped me. I stay true to myself but also weave in new creative expressions from my life experiences and personal evolution.”
Fans got their first taste of the project as far back as February 2025 with ‘Why Love’, followed by ‘Badman Gangsta’ featuring French artist Tiakola, a track built around a reimagined sample of Amerie’s ‘1 Thing’ that turned out to be one of the more interesting sonic swings of his singles run.
Then came ‘Worship’ with DJ Snake, which pushed the project into full cross-continental territory.
The full album expands on all of that. Outside the previously released singles, the album includes ‘Gratitude’, ‘Forgiveness’, and ‘Asambe’, a collaboration with South African amapiano producer Kabza De Small. It’s a pairing that will likely draw attention, given both artists’ standing in their respective markets.
The album artwork was created by Iraqi-Dutch artist Arthar Jabar.
Celebs4 days ago
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