Joey Akan Biography: Fiancée, Age, Net Worth, Podcast, Career, Wife, Instagram, Wikipedia

Joey Akan is a Nigerian music journalist, writer, and broadcaster whose sharp insights have defined coverage of Afrobeats and African pop culture.

With contributions to outlets like The New York Times, OkayAfrica, and The Guardian, he hosts the acclaimed Afrobeats Intelligence podcast, where in-depth interviews with stars like Tekno and Joeboy unpack the industry’s evolution.

Akan’s fearless critiques and storytelling have earned him multiple awards, including recognition from the MAYA Awards, positioning him as a vital voice in documenting and shaping the global rise of African music.

Profile

• Full Name: Joey Akan
• Stage Name: Joey Akan
• Born: 1990s
• Age: 30s
• Birthplace: Lagos, Nigeria
• Nationality: Nigerian
• Occupation: Music Journalist, Writer, Broadcaster, Podcast Host, Media Consultant
• Height: Unknown
• Parents: Unknown
• Siblings: Unknown
• Spouse: Unknown
• Children: None
• Relationship: Engaged
• Net Worth: $500,000

Early Life and Education

Joey Akan was born in the early 1990s in Lagos, Nigeria, though his exact date of birth is unknown.

Born to parents whose names are not publicly known, and might have had siblings but details about them are unknown.

Akan pursued a degree in Biochemistry at a Nigerian university, though his passion for writing soon pulled him toward the media.

He is of Yoruba descent, and practices Christianity as his religion.

Career

Joey Akan stepped into journalism around 2013, starting with freelance pieces for local outlets while honing his voice through critiques of Nigeria’s burgeoning music scene at Pulse Nigeria.

His early work focused on dissecting Afrobeats’ raw energy and artist breakthroughs, like those of Wizkid and Davido, blending personal essays with industry analysis that caught attention at events such as Social Media Week Lagos.

Akan’s breakthrough came with a deeply personal 2018 OkayAfrica piece on J. Cole’s Lagos concert, weaving his own struggles with mental health into a vivid narrative that humanized the genre’s global appeal and marked his shift from critic to storyteller.

Akan’s influence deepened as Music Editor at Pulse Nigeria for over five years, where he led coverage that spotlighted Afrobeats’ economic impact and cultural shifts, earning awards like On-Air Personality honors at the MAYA Awards.

He launched Afrobeats Intelligence as a Substack newsletter in the early 2020s, evolving it into a podcast with over a million downloads, featuring raw conversations with talents like Ayra Starr and Timaya that explore creativity, business, and personal truths.

His consulting for labels on A&R and PR, plus features in The FADER and Quartz, bridged African artists with international platforms, while his role on the MOBO and MAMA awarding academies amplified his authority.

Akan drives conversations on Afrobeats’ infrastructure and sustainability through partnerships like OkayAfrica for deeper storytelling and sessions at AfricaCom on digital innovation in African media.

His newsletter reaches over 25,000 subscribers weekly, dissecting deals, trends, and artist strategies with unfiltered candor.

As Entertainment Editor at News Central TV and West African Arts & Culture Commissioning Editor for The Conversation Africa, he mentors emerging voices and advocates for ethical documentation of the continent’s sounds, leaving a blueprint for journalism that prioritizes authenticity over hype.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @joeyakan
• Facebook Handle: Joey Akan
• Twitter Handle: @JoeyAkan

Personal Life

Joey Akan got engaged to his longtime girlfriend in December 2019 during a surprise proposal at WurlD’s concert in Lagos, though he shields her identity from public view.

He shares no confirmed children and guards his family details closely.

Net Worth

Joey Akan has an estimated net worth of $500,000.

Journalism commissions from major publications, podcast sponsorships, and media consulting for record labels fuel his earnings, rounded out by speaking gigs and newsletter subscriptions that sustain his independent projects.