Akinfenwa was born in Islington, North London, and is of Nigerian descent. His father is a Muslim and his mother is a Christian, and while Akinfenwa observed Ramadan as a child, he is now a Christian.
Akinfenwa's upbringing in Islington, North London, as a child of Nigerian parents who hold different faiths, is notable. While he initially observed the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, he now identifies as Christian.