Nollywood Actor Alexx Ekubo Dies at 40 After Battle With Kidney Cancer

Alexx Ekubo-Okwaraeke is gone. The Port Harcourt-born actor, who spent over two decades building a body of work that Nollywood fans will be watching for years to come, died on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, after a private battle with kidney cancer. He was 40.

The news broke across social media as colleagues began posting tributes throughout the afternoon, many of them visibly stunned. What came through in every message was something even more painful: most of the people who loved him had no idea how serious things were. He carried it quietly, deflecting concern with reassurances, telling friends he was fine until he could no longer respond at all.

Friends who tried, and were turned away

Funke Akindele was among the first to speak. In an Instagram story, she wrote: “I really tried to reach out to see you one more time, but guess you knew best. May your kind soul rest in peace, Alex. Ore mi, like you fondly called me, I will always remember and cherish the good times we shared together. It’s so hard. Chai. Going through all the messages I sent. You kept telling me you are fine. I kept sending voice notes, Alex. Chai. God knows best. I really wanted to see you. You said we will see soon. You ghosted me. Chai. Rest well, Ore mi.”

Kate Henshaw, writing on X, said she had been sending messages with no reply, having assumed he simply needed space. “I had no idea. Been sending chats, no response. I just decided to give him some breathing space not knowing,” she wrote.

Rita Dominic posted a string of broken heart emojis on X and said nothing further. Some things don’t need words.

Godwin Nnadiekwe, a close colleague, shared one of the most raw responses: “I’m struggling to find the words. This news has truly broken me. Nollywood has lost a rare soul, and I’m at a loss for words because this wasn’t the plan, Alex Ekubo. To think you already prepared your will, it’s a heartbreak I can’t quite describe. Rest well, my friend.”

A career that deserved more time

Born April 10, 1986, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Alexx Ekubo was a native of Arochukwu, Abia State. He studied Law at the University of Calabar but found his calling in front of a camera. His first film role came in 2003, a minor part in Lancelot Imasuen’s Sinners in the House, but it took years before the industry truly took notice.

That changed in 2011 when he finished as first runner-up in the Mr Nigeria contest, putting his face before a much wider audience. The following year, his performance in the blockbuster Weekend Getaway earned him Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the 2013 Best of Nollywood Awards.

He became a household name through the popular sitcom AY’s Crib, and his box office appeal solidified with two 2019 releases: The Bling Lagosians and Your Excellency. His most recent notable work was Kayode Kasum’s 2023 film Áfàméfùnà: An Nwa Boi Story, which drew strong reviews and earned him an AMVCA Best Supporting Actor nomination in 2024.

By the time he died, Ekubo had over 116 film credits, nine industry awards, and recognition from institutions including the UN’s MIPAD Top 100 Under 40 and an honorary doctorate from ISCG University in 2021.

The silence that now makes painful sense

After starring in Conversation in Transit alongside Richard Mofe-Damijo and Osas Ighodaro, Ekubo gradually withdrew from public life. His last Instagram post was on December 30, 2024. Fans had noticed. Friends had reached out. In December 2025, his close friend IK Ogbonna publicly said he was “fine and healthy” — a comment that now reads like a man protecting a friend’s privacy at all costs.

It appears Ekubo knew where things were headed. He had prepared a will. He chose to face his final months quietly, away from cameras and the speculation that comes with them.

A loss Nollywood will feel

Actor Bolanle Ninalowo, reacting from the United States, wrote: “Rest on, Alex. May God heal your family and us all.” BBNaija star Pere shared a screenshot of his last conversation with Ekubo, a warm check-in exchange. “You didn’t say much,” Pere wrote, “but that moment means even more to me now.”

Influencer Cutie Juls posted on Instagram: “Oh, cancer, why? Why? Shame on you.” That frustration ran through almost every tribute.

As of press time, Ekubo’s family and management had not released an official statement. The industry is mourning in real time, processing the loss without the closure a formal announcement typically brings.

Alexx Ekubo was 40. He had only just turned 40 on April 10, barely a month before he died. Nigerian cinema loses a man who gave it decades of work, who kept his suffering to himself, and who spent his final chapter in the same quiet dignity he seems to have carried through everything else.

Sources: Pulse Nigeria, BBC Pidgin, TheCable