Semi Ajayi’s full name is Oluwasemilogo Adesewo Ibidapo Ajayi, but people call him Semi because it is easier to say. He was born on 9 November 1993 in Crayford, England, to Nigerian parents, so he grew up surrounded by Nigerian traditions. His brother, Fikayo, enjoyed football just like him. His parents valued education, and Semi worked hard at school and later said he hopes to return to school because learning still means a lot to him.
Growing up, Semi Ajayi loved football just as much as he loved school. He played whenever he could, and he became good enough to join the Charlton Athletic academy. This is where he learned how to play like a professional, training with coaches who helped him understand how to defend, how to tackle, how to use his height and strength, and how to read the game. He is very tall, about 6 ft 4 in (193 cm), and he weighs around 83 kg, which helps him when fighting for the ball in the air.
He began his professional career when he went on loan to Dartford in November 2012. This was his first proper taste of competitive football. He even scored a goal there. After showing promises, Semi moved to Arsenal’s academy in September 2013, signing a two-year deal. Being at Arsenal was a big step for the Nigerian international. He played for their Under-21 team and even sat on the bench for Premier League matches, although he never made a senior appearance. Still, those experiences helped him.
In March 2015, Arsenal loaned him to Cardiff City, and by June 2015, Cardiff decided they wanted him permanently, so he joined them fully. During his time at Cardiff, he also went on loan to two other clubs: AFC Wimbledon and Crewe Alexandra.
His next big move was in January 2017, when he joined Rotherham United on loan. He performed so well that the club signed him permanently on July 1st, 2017. At Rotherham, Semi scored goals even though he was a defender, and supporters started noticing him because of his strong tackles, clever positioning, and calmness on the ball. Working hard every week, soon bigger clubs started watching.
This interest eventually led to a major move. On July 20th, 2019, Semi signed a four-year contract with West Bromwich Albion. This became one of the most important parts of his career. He helped West Brom earn promotion to the Premier League in the 2019/2020 season. On 27th of December 2020, he scored his very first Premier League goal in a dramatic draw against Liverpool. You should have seen how exciting that felt for him. Over his time at West Brom, Semi made 177 appearances and scored 13 goals.
But his time at West Brom also came with challenges that saw him struggling with hamstring injuries. And during the 2024/2025 season, he had to miss matches because his hamstring kept causing trouble. He even had surgery for muscle issues, which made his recovery slower. After six years with the club, West Brom decided not to extend his contract, and in May 2025, Semi officially said goodbye to the team. It was an emotional moment; but it also opened doors to fresh start.
That fresh start came on the 19th of June 2025, when he signed with Hull City on a two-year contract with the option of adding a third year. He officially became a Tiger on July 1, 2025, wearing the number 6 jersey. But soon after joining, he again suffered a hamstring injury in training. Hull manager said he wasn’t sure exactly when Semi would return to the pitch. Later on, doctors offered a more positive update, saying Semi was progressing. They did not want to rush his comeback because the club wanted him fully fit before playing again.
Meanwhile, Semi has an important international career with the Super Eagles. He first played for Nigeria at the Under-20 level. And in 2018, he made his senior debut in a match against the Seychelles. He once explained that choosing Nigeria over England was easy because of his parents. When he received his first call-up to the Nigeria national team, he said he was “over the moon.” He has also said that because he plays in the Championship sometimes doesn’t make him inferior, explaining that playing in leagues like the Premier League or Serie A does not automatically make those players better than him.
Semi is a centre-back. He also plays as a holding midfielder. He is strong in the air, calm, quick for his size, and physically powerful. Coaches and fans like how he reads the game and how he helps organise the defence, especially at Hull City.
In FIFA and EA FC video games, Semi has different ratings over the years. In FIFA 21, his rating was 73, and in FIFA 20, he had a rating of 71. Throughout his career he has received around 16 different cards in Ultimate Team. In the newer EA FC games, such as EA FC 26, he has a 70 overall rating.
Apart from football, there are parts of his personal life that fans often ask about. Semi Ajayi does not share much about his girlfriend, wife, or relationship status, so there is no confirmed information. He also has not spoken about his religion, but he his most likely a Christian. His Instagram account is @semishems, where he sometimes posts updates about football.
Semi Ajayi’s net worth is about £2.68 million. When he was at West Brom, he reportedly earned about £13,000 per week. His salary at Hull City is £416,000 yearly and £8,000 weekly. People sometimes wonder about his car and houses, but he has managed to keep those details private.