Jemila Wumpini Abdulai

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Jemila Wumpini Abdulai

✨ Creative soul. She was also recognized as Ghana’s ‘most influential female blogger’ and one of Ghana’s top 50 most influential youth in 2018 by Avance Media.

Jemila Abdulai is the creator of Circumspecte.com; a multiple award-winning digital platform for meaningful insights, interaction and creative action related to Africa and Africans. An economist and Ghana’s 2021 Digital Skills Champion, Jemila excels at creating impactful content, courses, connections, conversations and experiences. Through her engaging career and digital skills workshops, Jemila

has guided over 2,000 Africans to leverage digital skills and tools for their brands and businesses. A digital transformation consultant and strategist, she provides research, strategy and policy advisory services for Africa-oriented organisations looking to thrive with digital. Jemila received the ‘Digital Skills Champion’ award for Ghana by the Digital Equality Coalition in 2021 for over a decade’s work in promoting digital transformation. In 2020, the Millennium Excellence Foundation under the patronage of Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II honored her with the ‘2020 President’s Youth Prize for Excellence in Digital Media’. A TEDx Speaker, Jemila is a published author, public speaker and host of a TV show on food cultures and climate change in Africa. She has an M.A. in International Economics and International Affairs from Johns Hopkins SAIS, and a B.A. in Economics and French from Mount Holyoke College, both in the United States. She speaks French, has visited over 30 countries, including living in 10 primarily African nations. Jemila enjoys global cuisine, coaching, nurturing Africa-Diaspora relations, fitness, the arts and good design. Currently based in Accra, Ghana, but known to jet off occasionally. Join Jemila on her journey as she lives and learns.

16/09/2025

✨ Collaboration has been central to my journey — from co-authoring a book with friends after high school to partnering with Circumspecte clients across Africa and the Diaspora on digital and sustainable development projects.

I’m looking forward to speak at Her Summit 2025 on Impact Through Collaboration, alongside other brilliant women leaders. Attending? Come say hi 💫

07/09/2025

🍃 Fresh out of uni and wondering “now what?” 🤔 You’re not alone. That was me almost 20 years ago. Talking with recent grads got me reflecting: what would I want to know if I were starting my career in today’s tech-driven era? Here are some oldies-but-goodies and a few new insights:

1. Career = journey. Think mountain ranges with valleys and summits. You don’t need the whole map — just the big picture. It will turn out okay.

2. Explore your interests. Don’t know them yet? That’s your first job: ask questions, shadow people you admire, try new things. Already know your “dream role”? Reverse-engineer it — map the skills, steps, and people that will get you there. I unpack this more here: https://circumspecte.com/2016/04/five-tips-for-crafting-the-career-you-want/

3. Prioritise learning over money. I get it — you want data, fun with friends, and new adventures. But roles that teach you skills and give perspective will pay you back many times over decades — and help you understand yourself better. No luck with internships or volunteering? Start a personal project in an area of interest to learn as you build.

4. Don’t despise small beginnings. A temporary or service job may not be “the dream,” but it gives you skills, networks, and some income. In cities like Accra, Lagos, Dakar, and Abidjan, malls, restaurants, and events are buzzing — those experiences are gold for your foundation. Stay curious - now is the best time to try new things.

5. Invest in yourself. Use what you earn to self-learn on YouTube, TikTok, or free platforms like Circumspecte. Save for transport to free conferences and events and to pay for skills-focused courses. Try digital and AI tools like ChatGPT. Document your journey — not just for content creation, but also to track growth.

6. Build relationships, not just contacts. Networking is about cultivating genuine connections. Support others, check in, let people know what you’re exploring. Doors often open when you least expect it.

7. Work on your communication skills. Being able to write clearly, speak confidently, and listen actively will take you far — across industries, roles, and borders.

8. Prioritise well-being. Ambition is good, but burnout is real. Learn to manage your energy, set boundaries, and take care of your health. Your career is a marathon, not a sprint.

9. Embrace flexibility. Your first job probably won’t be your last. Each role is a stepping stone. Focus on skills and experiences, not just the title. Careers today are non-linear, so being adaptable is key.

🎥 I share more on crafting your career in this YouTube video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e7JHREttVRg

At the end of the day, building a career isn’t about getting it perfect from the start — it’s about showing up, learning, and growing into the professional you’re becoming.

💡 For those already a few years or well into your careers: what’s one lesson you wish someone had told you when you were just starting out?

25/08/2025

✨ Everything has purpose 🍃

09/03/2025

✨ A bit late to the party, because I have been reflecting on what it means to . Ladies, in addition to the many pertinent suggestions and ideas shared, remember to accelerate action in your own life. Show up for yourself and do for yourself what you do for so many others.

1. Accept yourself to step into your unique power as a woman and create agency within yourself.

2. Challenge yourself to be better, take the decisions you need to take to create the life you want, and then take meaningful steps to achieving your goals. However “small”.

3. Embrace each season for what it is. Try new things. See “failure” as a stepping stone, and grow, every single day. Take accountability for your choices. Celebrate your wins, however “small”.

4. Take care of yourself. Pause. Nourish your mind, body and soul. Create space and time for what lights you up. Keep your promises to yourself. Learn to say ‘no’.

5. Collaborate. Tap into your creativity. Ask for help and leverage the resources available. Help create resources and pathways where there are none.

6. Use your voice where relevant. Take up space and step up to the plate when the occasion arises. Seek what aligns with your core values.

7. Add value as often as possible, and yes, that includes afffirming another woman or simply being present to support another. Because as we believe at Circumspecte, .

8. Open circles - make room for another deserving woman or girl every chance you get. Pass the opportunity on. Celebrate other women.

Creating ownership within yourself activates your innate God-given power and enables you to show up in the world authentically as only you can. Step into your power. And with that, you gain the power and privelege to inspire and empower others, and to possibly accelerate action beyond yourself inshAllah. One step at a time, at your own pace. Shine your light and trust the process. You’ll know when you get there. The quote below by Marianne Williamson sums it up. Happy International Women’s Day, ladies! 💐💛

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“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~ Marianne Williamson

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https://circumspecte.com/

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Jemila’s Story

Ghana’s Digital Skills Trainer & Coach. Writer. Economist. Explorer. Pan-African Storyteller.

A professional blogger and avid communicator, Jemila excels at creating content, connections and conversations, especially in the digital space. Jemila is the creative director and founding editor of the award-winning blog, digital platform and company Circumspecte which is dedicated to meaningful insights, interaction and creative action related to Africa and Africans.

As a Ghanaian and Pan-African digital “solo-preneur” and freelance consultant, she works with Africa-oriented brands, companies and organisations to create and leverage digital content and tools. She also offers personalised trainings to professionals, entrepreneurs, SMEs and companies on social media and digital marketing. Working at the nexus of media and international development, Jemila Abdulai combines her business, communications and project management expertise with her strong passion for Africa.

An economist by training and a self-proclaimed wordsmith, she has been writing since the age of 10 and uses digital technologies to explore the nuances and interactions between African culture, policy, economics and human-interest issues. Jemila has written for Devex and the LSE Africa Blog, alongside features on Al-Jazeera, BBC, This Is Africa and Thought Catalog. More recently, Jemila has applied her people and storytelling skills to film. Jemila has a M.A. in International Economics and International Affairs from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies and a B.A. in Economics and French from Mount Holyoke College.