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NeNe Leakes is enjoying her romance with boyfriend Nyonisela Sioh.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta alum confirmed to The Shade Room in December 2021 that she and Sioh are dating, telling the outlet that her late husband Gregg gave her his blessing to see other people before he died of colon cancer on Sept. 1, 2021.
“She can’t stop smiling around Nyonisela,” a source told PEOPLE. “It’s still very new but she’s almost like a teenager with him, just light and giggly and feeling those new relationship butterflies.”
Since then, she has been spotted out with Sioh and has posted several pictures of him on her Instagram.
So. who is NeNe Leakes’ boyfriend? Here’s everything to know about Nyonisela Sioh and his relationship with the actress and reality TV star.
He makes her “very happy”
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After Leakes was photographed holding hands with Sioh in Miami Beach on Dec. 18, a source close to the Bravo star told PEOPLE she is “very happy right now.”
“She can’t stop smiling around Nyonisela. It’s still very new, but she’s almost like a teenager with him, just light and giggly and feeling those new relationship butterflies,” the source said, adding that the two met through their pal Peter Thomas. Thomas is the ex-husband of former RHOA star Cynthia Bailey.
“It was obviously very hard for NeNe after Gregg’s death, but she had been his caretaker for so long, she really lost what it was like to have a partner who prioritizes you,” the source continued.
“Nyonisela treats her like a queen,” they said. “He’s constantly fawning over her, showering her with compliments and putting her needs first. She couldn’t have found a better guy to be with after her loss.”
He’s a fashion designer
Nyonisela Sioh Instagram
Sioh designs and owns the menswear brand Nyoni Couture, based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
He sells custom suits, tuxedos, shirts, shoes and accessories online and at his brick-and-mortar storefront.
During a July 2020 interview with a Ghanian news outlet, DailyGuide Network, Sioh said his fashion ideas originate from his “African heritage fused with Western styles.”
“I am a very passionate individual and highly motivated,” the Liberian-born designer said. “I am motivated by people, products and the planet. For as long as I have known myself, I have been heavily interested in fashion. I have transformed my passion for being fashionable into compassion to provide high-quality apparels for men at affordable costs.”
He added, “Growing up in Liberia schools, I wore uniforms. I remember looking forward to what we call ‘Color Day,’ meaning students were allowed to wear ordinary clothing to school for the day, and the best male and female students were awarded a prize. I won a lot of those prizes.”
He’s a father of three
In the same interview with DailyGuide Network, Sioh shared that he is a father to “two handsome boys and a beautiful daughter.”
In October 2021, he posted a photo of his youngest son wearing one his designs on his Instagram.
They celebrated Leakes’ 54th birthday together
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Rumors of a romance between Leakes and Sioh first surfaced when she posted photos from her 54th birthday celebration on Dec. 15, 2021. In addition to her many family and friends, Sioh was included in some of the pics.
“I love all of y’all for loving me and making sure am good during this time,” she wrote alongside her post.
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She also documented one of their dates the night before Christmas Eve 2021.
Leakes posted videos and photos on her Instagram Story of herself, Sioh and Thomas enjoying lobster tails. One clip showed Leakes and Sioh getting cozy as she rested her head on his shoulder and flicked her tongue in his direction.
“Almost Christmas Eve. Having dinner with … ” she said while panning the camera to Sioh, though she didn’t say his name.
His estranged wife sued Leakes
NeNe Leakes/Instagram
Sioh’s estranged wife, Malomine Tehmeh-Sioh, sued Leakes for causing her emotional distress, humiliation and even loss of affection for Sioh and accused her of breaking up their marriage.
TMZ reported on June 2, 2022, that Tehmeh-Sioh sought over $100,000 in damages for the breakup of her marriage, which is a legal reason to sue in the state of North Carolina.
The following day, Leakes posted a video on Instagram saying that the story was inaccurate. “I’m already out here a husband stealer, and this is too much,” she said. “And ain’t nobody out here stealing husbands. Are they? I would never. Nobody wants to steal nobody else’s problems, honey.”
