Shakira Akabusi

Shakira Akabusi is an award-winning women’s health expert, television presenter, author, keynote speaker and Founder of StrongLikeMum, recognised for challenging outdated ideas surrounding motherhood, fitness and female wellbeing. Proud of her Nigerian and German heritage, Shakira brings a distinctive multicultural perspective to discussions about representation, health inequality, identity and inclusion. Through her media appearances, corporate talks and digital platforms, she encourages women from every background to build confidence in their bodies, prioritise their mental wellbeing and reject narrow expectations of what motherhood should look like. Her work has made her a trusted voice on postnatal health, perimenopause, body confidence and the importance of creating inclusive conversations around women’s experiences.

Shakira began her career as a performer in London’s West End, where she spent five years developing the stage presence, communication skills and confidence that now shape her work as a speaker and presenter. In 2013, she retrained as a specialist in pregnancy exercise and postnatal rehabilitation, initially working with women through individual coaching sessions. After recognising how difficult it could be for mothers to access credible and encouraging health advice, she began using social media to expand her reach. In 2018, Shakira launched StrongLikeMum, an online community created to inspire women to rebuild their strength, confidence and sense of identity throughout pregnancy, motherhood and postpartum recovery. The platform has since developed into a wider wellbeing brand offering workouts, educational resources, podcasts and accessible guidance for women at different stages of life.

As her profile has grown, Shakira has become a familiar presence across British television and digital media. She is a leading women’s health presenter and fitness expert, with appearances on ITV’s ‘Lorraine’, ‘This Morning’, ‘Good Morning Britain’, BBC ‘Morning Live’, Channel 5’s ‘Vanessa’ and Channel 4 digital programming. She has also worked with Adidas Global, Amazon UK, Bupa, Warner Bros. Discovery, Gymshark and The National Running Show. In 2022, Shakira published ‘The Strong Like Mum Method’ with Hachette, offering practical guidance on movement, nutrition, sleep, mindset and maternal wellbeing. Her achievements also include becoming the GLOMAMA Sport & Fitness Mama of the Year, appearing as a cover star for Women’s Fitness and Women’s Running, and contributing to publications including Vogue, Stylist, Women’s Health, Hello! and HuffPost. Shakira is also an Ambassador for 50:50 Parliament, using her platform to support greater representation for women in politics.

As a keynote speaker, Shakira combines professional expertise, lived experience and natural warmth to create honest and accessible conversations. She speaks on BAME representation, multicultural identity, inclusive women’s health, body confidence, resilience, hormonal health and women in the workplace. Shakira is particularly effective for diversity conferences, employee wellbeing programmes, women’s networks and leadership events where organisations want to address health and inclusion in a more meaningful way. Engaging, compassionate and relatable, Shakira gives audiences practical strategies they can use immediately, while inspiring organisations to build cultures where more women feel represented, supported and heard.