Nuriyya Ahmadova was born on 26 December 1950 in Baku (according to some sources, in Sheki). She studied at the acting faculty of the M. A. Aliyev Azerbaijan State Institute of Arts (1970–1974). She began her working career in 1968 at the Musical Comedy Theatre. She first came to cinema in 1982, after appearing in "Mozalan" newsreel stories. In 2007 she was awarded the honorary title of People's Artist of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The sister of People's Artist Amina Yusifgizi, she was married to the musician Khanlar Ibadov and they had two children: their first child, a daughter named Ilaha, was murdered at the age of 20 (1976–1996), and their second child, a son named Ali, died of cancer at the age of 37 (1977–2014). Through her daughter she had a grandson, Faig Ibadzade (b. 1996). Nuriyya Ahmadova died in Baku on 10 October 2015 at 4:30 am of a sudden heart attack. In accordance with her wishes, she was buried at the Shuvalan cemetery, next to the graves of her son and daughter.
