Nigeria is a country known for its excellence in the entertainment industry. When it comes to the music and film-making industries, Nigeria sits comfortably amongst the best in Africa. Entertainment is our element, and there are so many creative minds that work together to bring about quality and entertaining content. In this article, I will be sharing with you my top 5 Nigerian reality TV shows. The criterion of this list is based on popularity and personal favorites. This list is not absolute, hence, if you have a contrary opinion, kindly share your thoughts in the comments section below.

One area where our creativity has been put to good use is in our fascinating reality TV shows. Over the years, we have put on television some of the most creative, entertaining, and engaging reality TV shows. These shows have various niches. It could be in the music, movie, sports, or academic niche. Our shows are usually to bring about the best prodigy in music, dancing, education, creative thinking, sports, and even business. These prodigies would then have a chance at attaining fame and establishing themselves in their respective industries.

Below are my top 5 Nigerian reality TV shows:

5. Maltina Dance All

At number five is the popular TV dance series Maltina dance all popularly called MDA. This show is created for promoting young talents in dance. The show is sponsored by the non-alcoholic beverage- Maltina- and its purpose is to promote family bonding and family values.

In the show, different family groups compete against one another with different creative dances. The dance could range from hip-hop, wazobia, gumboot, jive, and many others. The winners of each round would move on to the next round, and the best dance family would win a family car and some prize money. This show gained incredible popularity during its inception and different seasons were continually released every year.

4. Gulder Ultimate Search

This is my personal favorite reality TV show. The show was created and also sponsored by the Nigerian Breweries Plc for the promotion of Gulder Lager Beer. This show was undoubtedly one of the most popular in the country during its time. The show was a survival-type reality show and was the very first local content show which began in 2004.

Each season of the show always begins with a back story of a lost artifact or treasure which the contestants are to find. They would first be required to survive obstacle courses and challenges over the weeks camped in the jungle. They would be eliminated one by one until the final four contestants would search for the final treasure at the end of the show. The winner would go home with 10 million naira prize money and an SUV. Unfortunately, the show was suspended, but it made its mark in the hearts of many fans.

3. Project Fame

At number three is a show known for its reputation for birthing stars. It is a music-based TV show sponsored by MTN. The purpose of the show is to produce the next famous music star.

Contestants fight for the top spots at the end of the show by battling it out through music performances. The top three would be awarded record label deals and the winner would leave with huge sums of prize money.

Contestants who don't get good scores would be placed on probation by the judges. The teachers would be allowed to save one contestant. Fellow contestants would save another, while the viewers would save the third. Whoever isn't saved would be eliminated.

2. Who Wants to be a Millionaire

This is another show sponsored by MTN. The show has been popular even before it was established in Nigeria in 2004. Hosted by Frank Edoho, contestants would try to answer a series of 15 questions with certain lifelines as aids. Each answered question would win the contestant a certain money prize.

Answering a certain number of questions would guarantee that the contestant would leave with a certain amount of money. However, if a question is answered incorrectly, the money would drop back to the guaranteed level and the contestant would leave with a check. Unfortunately, the show stopped in 2017 after the sponsors pulled out, but its popularity never diminished.

1. Number 1 on my list of top 5 Nigerian reality TV shows is Big Brother Naija

BBNaija is undoubtedly the most popular show in the country presently. The show started in 2006 and quickly grew in popularity. On the show, contestants are isolated in a house for days, performing different activities. Viewers will be given a chance to vote for their favorite housemates and keep them from being eliminated. The winner of the show will be given a two-bedroom apartment, 30 million naira prize money, a trip to Dubai, home appliances, and a brand new SUV.