Joke Silva

Joke Silva is a Nigerian actor, director and producer whose career spans theatre, film, television and radio. She is also a co-founder of Lufodo Group and has held leadership roles in performing-arts production, education and cultural organizations.

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About Joke Silva

Profile information current to 2026-08-22.

Nigeria · Actor, Director, Producer

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Known for: Nigerian theatre, film and television; Performing-arts education and production; Arts-sector leadership
Country: Nigeria

Actor
Director
Producer

At a glance

Silva has worked across theatre, film, television and radio, with Lufodo Group dating her career from 1981.
She co-founded Lufodo Group, which lists her as Co-founder and Co-CEO for Artistic Design and Performing Arts.
Her acting recognition includes Africa Movie Academy Awards for leading and supporting performances and a 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award.
Silva was appointed a UNODC goodwill ambassador in 2012 for an anti-trafficking campaign and received Nigeria's Member of the Order of the Federal Republic honour in 2014.

Training and performing career

Silva studied English at the University of Lagos and trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. Her professional work encompasses theatre, film, television and radio, and Lufodo Group dates that multidisciplinary career from 1981. One independently documented international screen credit is her performance as Nene in the 1998 UK-Canada film The Secret Laughter of Women.

Production and arts leadership

Silva co-founded Lufodo with actor Olu Jacobs, and Lufodo Group dates their drama-content production activity from 1986. As of 22 August 2026, the group listed her as Co-founder and Co-CEO for Artistic Design and Performing Arts. Organization-hosted pages also listed her as an advisory-board member of the Lagos International Theatre Festival and, through Lufodo's profile, as chair of the Board of Trustees of the Centre for Contemporary Arts, Lagos; these current-role listings should be rechecked close to publication.

Awards and honours

Silva received the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Women's Cot in 2006 and the award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for White Waters in 2008. In June 2016, she received an Africa Movie Academy Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. She was also awarded Nigeria's Member of the Order of the Federal Republic national honour on 29 September 2014.

Public-interest role

In October 2012, Silva was named a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in connection with the I Am Priceless campaign against human trafficking and migrant smuggling in Nigeria. The available evidence establishes the appointment but does not show that the role remained active as of August 2026.

Timeline

1981 Lufodo Group dates Silva's work across theatre, film, television and radio from 1981.
1986 Lufodo Group dates its drama-content production activity, co-founded by Silva and Olu Jacobs, from 1986.
1998 Appeared as Nene in The Secret Laughter of Women.
2006 Received the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Women's Cot.
2008 Received an Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for White Waters.
2012-10 Named a UNODC goodwill ambassador in relation to the I Am Priceless anti-trafficking campaign in Nigeria.
2014-09-29 Received Nigeria's Member of the Order of the Federal Republic national honour.
2016-06 Received an Africa Movie Academy Awards Lifetime Achievement Award.

Additional verified details

Current context

Lufodo Group lists Silva as Co-founder and Co-CEO for Artistic Design and Performing Arts. The current-status claim is based on Lufodo Group's own member page.
The Lagos International Theatre Festival lists Silva on its advisory board. The listing should be rechecked before publication because advisory memberships can change.
Lufodo Group lists Silva as chair of the Board of Trustees of the Centre for Contemporary Arts, Lagos. This is an affiliated-source listing and should be independently confirmed for a current-role profile field.

Biographical facts

Silva trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and holds a degree in English from the University of Lagos.
Lufodo Group states that Silva has worked across theatre, film, television and radio since 1981.
Silva played Nene in the 1998 UK-Canada film The Secret Laughter of Women.
In October 2012, Silva was named a UNODC goodwill ambassador in connection with Nigeria's anti-human-trafficking and migrant-smuggling campaign.

Connections

Affiliations

Affiliations associated with Joke Silva.

Lufodo Group Co-founder and Co-CEO for Artistic Design and Performing Arts present
Lagos International Theatre Festival Advisory board member present
Centre for Contemporary Arts, Lagos Chair of the Board of Trustees present