Ashley Immanuel is closing Africa’s tech talent gap through inclusive education, innovation, and youth-focused startup support.
Ashley Immanuel is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Semicolon Africa, a Lagos-based education technology company focused on equipping young people with digital and entrepreneurial skills. With a career spanning both the corporate and development sectors, Immanuel’s work demonstrates a growing effort to bridge Nigeria’s skills gap in the technology industry.
A career rooted in impact
Ashley Immanuel studied sociology at Duke University in the United States before beginning her career at IBM Global Business Services. She later moved into the financial inclusion space, serving as the CEO of Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA), a non-profit organisation that supports access to financial services for Nigeria’s underserved populations. Under her leadership, EFInA administered innovation funding and collaborated with public and private sector institutions to improve financial access across the country.
Her shift toward education and technology came with the founding of Semicolon Africa in 2019, alongside her husband, Sam Immanuel.
The startup was launched in response to the rising demand for tech talent in Nigeria and across the continent, as well as the persistent challenge of youth unemployment.
Semicolon’s model
Semicolon Africa offers a one-year, full-time training programme that combines software engineering with entrepreneurship. Its curriculum is structured around project-based learning, with an emphasis on practical problem-solving, teamwork, and business acumen. The organisation recruits trainees from a variety of backgrounds—including those without university degrees—seeking to make tech careers more accessible.
The organisation aims to go beyond simply preparing graduates for employment; it also supports those interested in launching their ventures. Through a startup incubation component, Semicolon helps graduates transform ideas into businesses, with access to mentorship and strategic support.
As of 2023, the company had trained over 600 individuals across multiple cohorts. Some of its alumni have gone on to work for Nigerian tech firms, while others have joined startups or launched their own. Semicolon currently graduates approximately 150 students each year.
In her capacity as COO, Immanuel oversees operations, partnerships, and talent development at Semicolon. She has played a key role in securing collaborations with universities and tech companies, enabling trainees to extend their learning or gain employment within the sector. She is also active in mentorship and public speaking, particularly around themes of inclusion and youth development.
In 2021, Semicolon raised $1.2 million in seed funding from investors including Launch Africa Ventures and Consonance Investment Managers. Since then, the company has continued to expand its training reach and develop its ecosystem for startup support.
For Immanuel, the goal is to continue building an inclusive platform that not only trains developers but also supports the creation of home-grown solutions to Africa’s development challenges.
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