Kofo Akinkugbe is a Nigerian technology entrepreneur and business leader best known as the founder and CEO of SecureID, a technology company focused on smart cards and identity-related products.
Her career has combined mathematics, banking, technology and manufacturing, culminating in the development of companies involved in security management, biometrics and smart card production.
Akinkugbe’s work has also contributed to the growth of locally manufactured payment and identity technology in Nigeria and the wider African market.
Education and Early Career
Akinkugbe studied Mathematics at the University of Lagos, where she earned her bachelor’s degree.
Following her studies and her service with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), she began her professional career in the banking industry.
She spent approximately 12 years in banking, beginning her career with International Merchant Bank, a Nigerian affiliate of First National Bank of Chicago. She later worked with Chartered Bank.
Her experience in the financial sector provided her with exposure to banking operations and financial services before she transitioned into entrepreneurship and technology.
Akinkugbe subsequently received a Chevening Scholarship to pursue an MBA at Strathclyde Business School in Scotland.
Her combination of mathematical training, banking experience and business education would later inform her approach to building technology companies.
Founding Interface Technologies
In 1998, Akinkugbe founded Interface Technologies Limited, a company focused on security management and biometrics.
The venture marked the beginning of her transition from banking into technology entrepreneurship.
Her work in security and biometric technologies would eventually lead to the creation of companies focused on smart cards and identity-related technology.
Building SecureID
In 2005, Akinkugbe founded SecureID Limited, which became the foundation of her wider technology business interests.
SecureID developed into a company focused on the manufacture of smart cards and other identity-related documents.
The company has been described as a leading manufacturer of smart cards and identity documents in Africa, reflecting Akinkugbe’s focus on developing technology and manufacturing capabilities within the continent.
Establishing SecureCard Manufacturing
Akinkugbe expanded her operations further in 2012 with the establishment of SecureCard Manufacturing.
The manufacturing business became an important part of her technology group, helping to bring smart card production capabilities into Nigeria.
According to the supplied source, the group operates Nigeria’s first SIM card production plant, which has been in operation since December 2016.
The company is certified by Visa, Verve and Mastercard and exports SIM cards to 21 other African countries.
The development represented an important step towards increasing local manufacturing capacity for payment and telecommunications-related cards, reducing dependence on imported products.
Expanding Technology Manufacturing in Africa
Akinkugbe’s entrepreneurial career has been closely connected to the development of technology manufacturing capabilities in Africa.
Rather than focusing exclusively on software and digital services, her businesses have operated at the intersection of technology, security, identity and physical manufacturing.
The ability to produce smart cards and SIM cards locally has also positioned her businesses within sectors that support financial services and telecommunications infrastructure.
Through SecureID and its associated companies, Akinkugbe has built a technology-focused business group serving both Nigeria and other African markets.
Recognition for Entrepreneurship
Akinkugbe’s contribution to African entrepreneurship has received several forms of recognition.
In 2012, she won the Mature Business Award at the Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship.
Her work in technology and manufacturing has also attracted attention from African business and technology publications, particularly in relation to the development of smart card manufacturing capacity in Nigeria.
In 2017, then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo appointed Akinkugbe to the board of the Nigerian Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Advisory Council.
The appointment placed her among business leaders contributing to discussions around Nigeria’s industrial development and competitiveness.
National Honour
In 2022, Akinkugbe was conferred with the Nigerian national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The national recognition added to a career that had already included recognition for entrepreneurship and her contribution to technology and manufacturing.
A Career Bridging Banking, Technology and Manufacturing
Kofo Akinkugbe’s career demonstrates the transition from traditional financial services into technology entrepreneurship and industrial manufacturing.
Her early years in banking gave her experience within the financial sector, while her subsequent companies allowed her to build businesses around security, biometrics, smart cards and identity technology.
The establishment of SecureCard Manufacturing and the development of local SIM card production capabilities further expanded her influence from technology services into manufacturing.
Kofo Akinkugbe Today
Kofo Akinkugbe remains recognised as a Nigerian technology entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of SecureID Group.
Her career has been defined by an emphasis on developing technology capabilities within Africa, particularly in smart card manufacturing, identity technology and security-related solutions.
From her beginnings in mathematics and banking to building technology and manufacturing companies serving markets across Africa, Akinkugbe’s journey reflects the growing role of African entrepreneurs in developing locally based technology infrastructure.