Early Life

Jemima Osunde was born on 30 April 1996 in Lagos, Nigeria, to parents from Edo State. She is the youngest child and only daughter in a family of five, growing up alongside older brothers in a close-knit household. She attended Air Force Primary School and Holy Child College for her secondary education, before studying Physiotherapy at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, graduating in 2019 and going on to complete her mandatory National Youth Service Corps orientation. In 2025, she furthered her education with a Master of Science in Public Health from a university in the United Kingdom.

Career

Jemima Osunde’s acting journey began in 2014, encouraged by her uncle, a presenter, while she was still a university student. Her film debut came in ‘Jungle Jewel,’ produced by fellow actress Ufuoma McDermott. Her breakout moment arrived when she was cast as Leila in MTV’s ‘Shuga’ (Season 4), a role that introduced her to national audiences. She was written out for a year when the show moved to South Africa for its fifth series, returning for the sixth season when production shifted back to Nigeria, and later appeared in ‘Shuga: Alone Together,’ filmed remotely during the COVID-19 lockdown.

In 2018, Jemima starred in ‘The Delivery Boy,’ a performance that earned her a nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 15th Africa Movie Academy Awards, and the same year she joined the cast of NdaniTV’s ‘Rumour Has It’ alongside Linda Ejiofor. In 2020, she featured in ‘Quam’s Money,’ the sequel to ‘New Money.’ She also portrayed undercover officer roles and other leads across a range of Nollywood television and film projects, and received a nomination for Revelation of the Year (Female) at the 2019 Best of Nollywood Awards.

Business and Advocacy

In October 2023, Jemima Osunde co-founded the beauty brand Sanaa Beauty alongside close friend and fellow actress Adesua Etomi. Beyond acting and entrepreneurship, she is a vocal advocate for women and girls’ rights, using her platform to speak on issues of empowerment and reproductive health, while continuing to practise as a qualified physiotherapist alongside her entertainment career.

With a career spanning acting, modelling, presenting, healthcare and entrepreneurship, Jemima Osunde has established herself as one of Nollywood’s most versatile and socially engaged young stars.