Semi Ajayi, born Oluwasemilogo Adesewo Ibidapo Ajayi is a professional footballer playing centre-back for EFL Championship club Hull City as 2026, and the Nigeria national team. Born in England to Nigerian parents, he has forged a distinguished career across English football leagues while securing 53 caps for Nigeria with two goals as of January 2026.
Profile Summary
| Full Name | Oluwasemilogo Adesewo Ibidapo “Semi” Ajayi |
| Date of Birth | 9 November 1993 |
| Place of Birth | Crayford, England |
| Nationality | Nigeria |
| Partner | N/A |
| Children | N/A |
| Occupations | Professional footballer |
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) |
| Club | Hull City |
| Position | Centre-back |
| Jersey Number | 6 |
| Net Worth/Salary | £2.68m (net worth); £13k/week (prior) |
Early Life and Education
Ajayi entered the world to Nigerian parents mother Dayo, born in the UK, and father Biyi, in Crayford, London Borough of Bexley, England. He entered Charlton Athletic’s academy at age nine via a parental trial and advanced to Arsenal’s setup at 16, skipping further formal schooling despite excelling in languages, sciences, and maths. His brother Fikayo fueled a family-wide football passion that shaped his youth.
Career
Born to Nigerian parents, Semi Ajayi started his career in the Charlton Athletic academy, signing his first professional contract in January 2012. He loaned to Dartford in November 2012, scoring once in three games, then helped Charlton’s reserves win the Professional Development League 2 title and earned a senior unused sub spot.
In 2013, he trialed with Arsenal, securing a two-year deal, debuting for their U21s with a goal and making senior benches in 2014–15. He joined Cardiff City on loan in March 2015, then permanently, with brief loans to AFC Wimbledon and Crewe Alexandra, where he impressed enough for extensions and Team of the Week honors.
In January 2017, Ajayi loaned to Rotherham United, scoring and becoming a regular in 17 games before signing permanently; he helped win promotion in the 2018 play-offs and earned 2018/19 awards like Player of the Month, Away Player of the Season (8 goals), and Goal of the Season. He moved to West Bromwich Albion in July 2019, netting his first Premier League goal at Liverpool in 2020. In June 2025, he signed a two-year deal with Hull City, debuting in August and scoring his first goal in November.
Internationally, Ajayi debuted for Nigeria U20 at the 2013 Toulon Tournament and made his senior bow in 2018 AFCON qualifiers against Seychelles. At the 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, he played every minute of Nigeria’s seven matches as runners-up, the only Super Eagle to do so.
Honours
Ajayi claimed EFL League One play-offs alongside Rotherham United in 2018. For Nigeria, he reached runner-up spot at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, featuring in every minute of their seven games. Personal nods encompass EFL Championship Player of the Month for March 2019, Rotherham’s Away Player and Goal of the Season that year, plus Member of the Order of the Niger.
Personal Life
Ajayi keeps family matters private, sharing scant details on partners or children apart from occasional social media glimpses. He endured online racial abuse post a 2021 West Brom outing. Active on Instagram as @semishems and Twitter @SemiAjayi.
Net Worth/Salary
Ajayi’s net worth sits around £2.68 million, accrued from his career since 2013 amid few highlighted sponsorships. His prior West Brom weekly pay hovered near £13,000, though current Hull City figures remain undisclosed publicly.
