[2] Otanwa hails from the Idoma speaking area of Benue State, Nigeria,[2] growing up partly in Lagos.

She comes from a polyglot family and speaks about five languages including English, Yoruba, French, Hausa, her mother tongue Idoma and some Spanish.

[3] Having worked for a long period at the African Development Bank, Tunis, Tunisia, Otanwa resigned and picked up a career in acting, making her Nollywood debut in 2011,[1] featuring in the dance drama film by Emem Isong, I'll Take My Chance.

[10][11] In the 2018 Tosin Igho film titled, The Eve, she was starred as "Alero", acting alongside actors and actresses like Beverly Naya, Hauwa Allhabura, John Okafor and others.

[12][13] In the 2020 film, For Maria Ebun Pataki, directed by Damilola Orimogunje, she was starred as "Derin".