Akunna Nwala-Akano (pictured) says her life is all about exploration—she did some when she was finding a way to use her experience in law and taxes along with her talents as an entrepreneur to develop a fine jewelry brand.
In 2020, inspired by a lifelong interest in jewelry sparked by her grandmother, Nwala-Akano founded Akano, a Nigerian brand that makes jewelry reflecting her African heritage, traditions, and global sensibilities.
“My grandmother taught me about emeralds, rubies, coral, and other gemstones, and she gifted me my first jewelry pieces—as is our custom,” the designer says.
Akano founder Akunna Nwala-Akano shows the NKO suite, which features 80+ cts. rubellite and pavé diamonds.
Now based in Lagos, Nwala-Akano attended the University of Nigeria Nsukka and graduated from Nigerian Law School in 2005. She worked in the banking industry through 2010 and spent two years at the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service.
“These roles taught me discipline and people skills,” she explains. “You have to be detailed. You have to be able to sit down and go through all of those accounts and numbers. You also have to have sharp people skills to manage your staff and customers.”
In 2009, Nwala-Akano founded Kukus Hair, a luxury hair products brand and salon. Its success in Nigeria’s beauty industry made her a household name in the country and earned her several entrepreneurial awards.
“Working with hair and beauty is special because you have to be creative. You need to have a lot of knowledge and understanding to know what will make a woman look and feel great,” she says.
Akano’s Ulo hexagon necklace ($8,800) in 18k rose gold with 2.89 cts. t.w. diamonds.
Nwala-Akano has long sought to build luxury brands from Africa for the world. Kukus Hair grew out of that desire, as did a company she cofounded in 2018—MasterMind Décor, a design venture sparked by her natural affinity for aesthetics and spatial storytelling.
Jewelry came to Nwala-Akano as a new interest during the COVID pandemic. “I’d be sitting at home, bored. I’d start playing dress-up in my own closet, making videos,” she says.
“I started thinking about what would look good with my outfit, and I’d think about a bracelet. If I couldn’t find it in my closet, I’d draw it. Then I had to figure out how to get it made.”
She began calling and visiting craftspeople she had met over the years, and they were eager to work with her. When a few friends asked her to create jewelry for them, Nwala-Akano was ready to jump into the field fully.
“People made me believe in my craft—they made me feel like I knew what I was doing,” she says with a laugh. “It was a profound moment when I knew I could believe in myself and I could delve into jewelry.… I had to trust my heart and my guts.”
Mother-of-pearl octagon earrings ($5,700) in 18k gold and diamonds, from the Adaeze collection
Her jewelry brand was originally called Diamonds Eternal Jewellers, but she changed the name to honor her Igbo culture, and uses its stories and symbols in jewelry pieces. Her ultimate goal is to position Akano as a high jewelry house that captures the African spirit.
“I want to celebrate my language and heritage through my brand,” Nwala-Akano says. Azano’s collections include Adaeze, which “explores form and texture through shapes and materials like mother-of-pearl,” she says.
“Jewelry is not just about adornment. As an Igbo woman, it is spiritually and culturally significant,” says Nwala-Akano.
(Photos courtesy of Akano)