About
Aishat Abiri is a filmmaker, passionate about storytelling as a means of introspection. With over six years of experience writing for film and three years of experience as a Producer/Director, Aishat has worked on projects for social change like "Shuga" for The MTV Staying Alive Foundation and “Story Story” for BBC Media Action. Her work has won the Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Award s for best scripted series, 2024. Her short film, “Does God Love Women?”—which was also her directorial debut—screened at the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival of 2022 and was nominated for Best Short Film and Best Short Drama-African. She is a 2024 Saul Zaentz Fellow, a 2024 France Merrick Fellow and she currently holds an MFA in Filmmaking with an Emphasis in Intercultural Communication from the Maryland Institute College of Art. She currently resides in Baltimore.
Portfolio
From women grappling with faith to a couple trying to hold on to love, my stories center around the human condition and try to ask the hard questions, interrogate the things that make us uncomfortable.
From women grappling with faith to a couple trying to hold on to love, my stories center around the human condition and try to ask the hard questions, interrogate the things that make us uncomfortable.
It’s beautiful how close our hands are to our hearts. Working with film in a tactile manner helped me connect with the spiritual aspect of image making and capturing.
Working with imagery and sound to capture the essence of a place. This started out as a class and soon became a meditative exercise
Curriculum Vitae
EDUCATION
Master of Fine Arts in Filmmaking Sept 2023 – May 2025
(Emphasis in Intercultural Communication)
Maryland Institute College of Art
Doctor of Optometry Aug 2007 – Jun 2014
University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
Introduction to Media Literacy and Representation Mar – April 2020
The University of Newcastle, Australia
Creative Writing Workshops
The University of Iowa Jul 2019
Farafina Trust, Lagos Jun – Jul 2016
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore
Graduate Teaching Intern, Sept - Dec 2024
Directing Workshop
Served as Producer and Director of Photography for Students’ directing scenes for their final project.
Gave feedback and recommendations on students' approach to directing.
Assisted with technical support to facilitate the smooth running of the class.
Graduate Teaching Intern, Sept - Dec 2023
Reality, Illusion and the Moving Image
Used my experience as a filmmaker, and my background as a storyteller from Nigeria to foster robust and critical discussions on films in class.
Assisted with technical support to facilitate the smooth running of the class.
Took record of attendance and followed up on the welfare of students who had been absent.
Graduate Teaching Intern, Sept - Dec 2023
Professional Practice for The Visual Artist
Gave feedback to students on their art, portfolios and websites.
Assisted with technical support to facilitate the smooth running of the class.
Took record of attendance and followed up on the welfare of students who had been absent.
The Abuja Literary Society, Abuja, Nigeria
Workshop Facilitator September 2021
Facilitated a screenwriting workshop with over 20 participants in attendance. Talked about character development, story archetypes and story structure.
FILM RELEASES
2025 “Portrait of A Man” (in progress) Writer/Director/Producer
“The Ear” (in progress) Director/Producer
2024 “Lonely People” Writer/Producer/Director
“A Very Bad, No Good Day” Writer/Producer/Director/Actor
2023 “Forget This” (music video) Writer/Producer/Actor.
2021 “Does God Love Women?” Writer/Co-Producer/Co-Director.
“Omowunmi” Writer.
AWARDS, RECOGNITIONS
2024 Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund Fellow (2024) for the project titled "Nigerian Aunties'
Diaspora Support (NADS)", a comedy about a young Nigerian woman in search of love, who gets help from the most unwanted source–the ghost of her dead aunt.
Chroma Art Film Festival, 2024, Honorable mention for the Film Art, “Lonely People”.
Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards 2024, Best Scripted Series, for the show “Itura”.
Recognized as a member of SheWrites 30, 2024 (an Emerge Story Company initiative supported by Final Draft), a commendation list dedicated to celebrating outstanding female screenwriters who have significantly contributed to the evolution of storytelling in Nollywood.
2022 Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival, 2022.
“Does God Love Women?” nominated for Best Short Film and Best Short Drama-African.
ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Maryland Institute College of Art Sept 2024 - Present
France Merrick Fellow ‘24
Working on a documentary with the Youth in Business arm of Jubilee Arts, Baltimore to help tell their brand story as youth entrepreneurs and art activists.
The StudioLab June - Dec 2024
Camera Operator and Researcher
Handled B-roll and served as camera assistant for the cinematographer during filming sessions.
Researched into and set up meetings with interviewees.
Maryland Institute College of Art, Office of Culture & Identity Jan - May 2024
Co-Director, 30th Annual Benefit Fashion Show (MICA)
Managed the planning and supply needs of five (5) designers, liaised with other units and departments to ensure effective and consistent show branding and publicity.
TELEVISION
ZURI 24 Media Ltd May – Sept 2023
Writer
Adapted the Spanish Telenovela: The Marked Heart for the Nigerian setting, including script writing and research.
Mnet Africa Jul 2017 – Feb 2023
Story Editor: Venge (260 episodes aired) and Itura (260 episodes aired; AMVCA winner, Best Scripted Series, 2024) prime-time television dramas aired to millions of viewers across Nigeria.
Reviewed and approved story documents to ensure fit and effective communication.
Reviewed and structured the story for effective plot, continuity and consistency.
Led and supervised a team of four writers in story development workshops to ensure effective and cohesive storytelling.
Writer:
Tinsel, Africa’s longest running TV series (over 3,000 episodes aired).
Brethren (260 episodes aired).
Halita Season 1 (130 episodes aired).
Red Pepper Pictures|Multichoice Africa Jul – Oct 2022
Content Director, Big Brother Naija Season 7 (Level Up)
Followed stories of housemates in the house, packaged daily episodes on the show.
Executed tasks and other sponsored activities, in line with editorial guidelines for the show and brand storytelling for the sponsors.
Oversaw inventory and delivery of merchandise, food and other supplies into the house.
MTV Staying Alive Foundation Nov 2018 – Nov 2019
Writer: MTV Shuga Naija
Through an 8 episode drama series, my team and I educated young people on sexual and reproductive health and rights, disability rights, gender based violence, as well as organizations to contact for assistance. MTV Shuga aired on YouTube, reaching over a million viewers across Africa.
RADIO
FLINT Productions, Nigeria Nov – Dec 2021
Writer: Koyi a Take
Developed a radio drama series with the focus on educating Al-Majiris in the North East (who had no access to formal education) on literacy and numeracy.
BBC Media Action, Nigeria Mar 2020 – Mar 2021
Writer: BBC Story Story
Through two seasons of a 16-episode radio drama, my team and I educated the public on disability rights, the harm of discrimination and stigmatization, and the role of government.
RESEARCH
Conversations for Change, Abuja Mar – Aug 2017
Research Assistant towards the UNFPA Regional Consultation and Strategic Engagement 17th – 19th May, 2017, Johannesburg, with the main focus on Family Planning.
I’d love to hear from you!
Let’s talk about ways we can collaborate and partner. Or if you have any questions about my practice, kindly reach me at: