On a humid afternoon in early 2000s Lagos, Wunmi Williams stood in a dusty parking lot, arranging fashion accessories in the boot of her car. Earrings, handbags, silk scarves—carefully curated pieces, many imported, some handmade—neatly laid out for her growing clientele. Some would scoff at the modest setup, but to Wunmi, it was more than a hustle. It was a seed—one she nurtured with relentless vision, style, and faith.
Today, that seed has bloomed into Nakenohs Boulevard, one of Lagos’ most refined and upscale retail destinations, and Wunmi Williams is at the helm, a trailblazer redefining luxury retail in Africa.
Wunmi’s deep understanding of retail was neither accidental nor improvised. After earning a degree in retail management from the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom, she went on to sharpen her instincts and business acumen at Nordstrom in Atlanta—an experience she describes as formative. “Nordstrom taught me structure. Customer service was not just a department; it was a culture,” she recalls. “I learned that excellence isn’t accidental. It’s intentional, repeatable, and scalable.”
Her time abroad wasn’t just about theory or experience—it was about distilling a global sense of what it means to curate, serve, and build brand loyalty. This clarity would become essential when she returned to Nigeria in 2003.
With a head full of ideas and a modest amount of savings, Wunmi opened a small fashion outlet in Onikan, Lagos. She sold what she knew best: accessories with attitude, statement pieces for the discerning woman, and handpicked clothing that reflected a global-meets-local aesthetic. But retail in Nigeria came with its own set of realities—unpredictable import duties, a price-sensitive customer base, power outages, and the ever-present challenge of raising capital.
Yet Wunmi persisted. She reinvested aggressively, pivoted quickly, and learned even faster. By 2017, she took a bold leap and launched Nakenohs Boulevard in the heart of Ikoyi—a stunning retail complex that now houses a collective of curated African and international fashion brands, beauty lines, concept stores, a café, and more.
Nakenohs is more than a mall—it’s a lifestyle hub that champions intentional living, timeless fashion, and conscious consumerism. The architecture is elegant, the atmosphere serene, and the tenant mix, diverse yet coherent. It’s a place where Lagos’ fashion elite come not just to shop, but to experience.
Williams’ story is not one of overnight success. She faced financial hurdles that would have overwhelmed many, especially in a country where bank loans are difficult to secure for SMEs. “There were nights I lay awake, wondering how to keep it all afloat,” she says candidly. But she turned to her faith, her network, and a strategic mindset.
She bootstrapped in the early days and later leveraged equity partnerships and personal investments. She made detailed business cases to attract both Nigerian designers and global brands. “I knew that if I created a space where brands felt respected, protected, and professionally supported, they’d come—and they did,” she says.
Today, Nakenohs houses over 30 premium fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands—many woman-owned—and has become a magnet for creatives, stylists, and shoppers who want more than just fast fashion.
Wunmi’s leadership style is a careful balance of structure and creativity. She is known for her process-driven mindset and spiritual grounding, making decisions with both data and discernment. “Every morning starts with prayer, then planning. Both are non-negotiable,” she says.
Her staff describe her as focused, hands-on, and deeply committed to excellence. Whether she’s reviewing visual merchandising layouts or negotiating lease terms, she brings the same level of precision and grace.
And while many entrepreneurs burn out trying to balance business with personal life, Wunmi embraces motherhood as part of her rhythm—not a competing priority, but a complementary one. “Motherhood makes you efficient. It teaches you how to prioritize love and legacy. My children see me build, and that means everything to me.”
Wunmi is a passionate advocate for female entrepreneurship, often mentoring young women and speaking at leadership forums. She sees the rise of women-led retail in Nigeria not as a trend but as a transformation. “Women have always had the intuition for business. Now we have the platforms. What we need more of is access—to funding, to infrastructure, and to respect.”
She also believes that African luxury is evolving—and it must be protected from dilution. “Luxury here is not just imported. It is designed, sewn, crafted, and packaged on this soil. We must value it accordingly.”
With plans to expand Nakenohs Boulevard into other cities in West Africa and explore e-commerce integration, Wunmi’s vision is anything but local. She sees herself as part of a broader movement to reimagine what modern African retail can be—curated, culturally rich, globally competitive.
Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs? “Start with what you have—be it your car boot, your Instagram page, your living room. Obedience to the vision is more important than having it all figured out. The clarity comes as you move.”
And if her journey from a mobile accessory vendor to one of Nigeria’s most respected retail voices is anything to go by, that movement is only just beginning.
