Jamelia holds a BSc in Economics and Actuarial Science from the University of Southampton and an MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

After completing her MSc, she was posted as an Overseas Development Institute Fellow in Sierra Leone, where she worked as an economist in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, and lectured in Macroeconomic Analysis at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone.

Prior to joining ODID as a research student, Jamelia worked as a Research Assistant at the Sir Arthur Institute of Social and Economic Studies at University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus.