Introducing the African Icon Library: A Celebration of African Design Heritage

Tomiwa O
2 min readMay 2, 2024

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Design has the power to uplift and celebrate the richness of cultures around the world. Yet, for too long, African visual heritage has been underrepresented in design resources. At Nuestack Design, we’re passionate about changing that by using design to uplift and celebrate our diversity. That’s why I am thrilled to launch the African Icon Library.

As a designer with over 15 years of experience working on projects across diverse industries globally, I’ve seen and struggled firsthand with the lack of authentic African elements in the design libraries and resources commonly available to us. A glaring omission in an industry that should more than any other, accurately reflect the world around us. The African Icon Library is our way of addressing this gap.

This first collection offers over 100 original SVG icons and illustrations inspired by the extraordinary richness and diversity of African cultures. We’re starting with a focus on Nigeria, with plans to expand to include icons and illustrations from Ghana, Cameroon, and across the continent.

The African Icon Library priorities authenticity. You’ll find icons meticulously crafted to reflect genuine African expression, from traditional masks and patterns to everyday objects and cultural practices. Designed with creatives in mind, all icons are freely available on Figma Community and compatible with your favorite design tools.

We believe in design’s power to create a more inclusive and visually vibrant world. The African Icon Library is our heartfelt contribution to this vision. We’re committed to expanding it into the ultimate resource for authentic African design elements. Our hope is that, alongside projects like Nigerianmockups and Retna, it will empower designers to center African stories, cultures, and people within their work.

Join us on this journey! Explore the library, use the icons in your projects, and help spread the word. Let’s work together to elevate African culture within the global design community.

If you share our passion for inclusive design, please share the African Icon Library!

- Tomiwa Ogunmodede, CEO, Nuestack Design.

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Tomiwa O

Product Designer. Brand Strategist. Problem Solver.