This visit, which took place on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, marked a significant milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward digital transformation and enhanced security measures in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

The primary objective of the minister’s visit was to acquaint himself with the world-class capabilities of SecureID Limited, a company that holds global certifications, possesses exceptional expertise, and utilizes state-of-the-art machinery for smartcard production within the Nigerian territory.

It served as an opportunity for the company to engage with the government and advocate for policies and support that will facilitate the seamless operation of their facilities and contribute to the country’s digital and security infrastructure.

Speaking during the visit, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, shared his impressions on the plant.

“I am deeply impressed by the cutting-edge technology and dedication to excellence displayed by SecureID Limited. This visit has reaffirmed my belief in the potential for local companies to contribute significantly to our nation’s digital evolution. We will work collaboratively to ensure that SecureID Limited continues to thrive and contribute to Nigeria’s digital future,” he said.

Dr. Tijani engaged in a comprehensive tour of the facility, which offered him firsthand insight into the company’s state-of-the-art equipment and adherence to international quality standards. The tour provided the minister with a glimpse into the extensive capabilities of SecureID Limited in producing high-quality, secure smartcards and digital solutions.

In addition to the plant tour, the minister had interactive sessions with the company’s management and staff to discuss various aspects of smartcard manufacturing, digital security, and their potential impact on Nigeria’s rapidly advancing digital landscape. SecureID Limited presented its unique value proposition, emphasizing the role it can play in supporting the government’s digital transformation and identity management initiatives.

Also commenting on the visit, Kojo Akinkugbe, Managing Director, SecureID Limited, enthusiastically expressed her optimism for the company’s future collaboration with the government and its positive implications.

“We are honored to have hosted Minister Tijani at our facility. His visit signifies a recognition of our commitment to excellence and our dedication to ensuring that Nigeria’s digital landscape is not only secure but also technologically advanced. We look forward to a mutually beneficial partnership with the government as we continue to play a pivotal role in the country’s digital transformation journey,” she said.

This visit has reinforced the government’s commitment to fostering innovation, improving digital security, and creating an enabling environment for companies like SecureID Limited to thrive.

SecureID Limited is equally excited to have hosted the distinguished minister and welcomes this opportunity to showcase its capabilities, seek government support, and strengthen its position as a leading player in the smartcard manufacturing industry.

She made this statement while delivering her lecture at the 4th convocation ceremony, titled “Youth Entrepreneurship and Reshaping Nigeria’s Economic Future”, which was held on Thursday, February 2nd 2023 at the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED) Odosida, Ondo State.

Mrs Kofo Akinkugbe emphasized that youth entrepreneurship is highly relevant to our contemporary situation regardless of one’s discipline or academic background.

“For our graduating students, cutting across various health professions and science disciplines, you will no doubt relate well with the elements relating to “Youth and the Economy” as you rise to the challenges, we all face daily. Irrespective of the class of degree conferred, the important success factors for the future are linked to your vision, individual talent and the life skills you embrace along the way”, She said.

Speaking further, she stated that sustainability is key and must be built on the right attitudes, wisdom, emotional intelligence, sound judgement, and learning from the experience of others, which must be anchored on some values she considers as evergreen and enablers of sustainable success and growth.

“As you know, your education is inadequate with academic work alone. The character component must kick in for completeness. Education is an enabler but without the right character it won’t take you far” Akinkugbe stated.

She congratulated the graduating students and encouraged them to deploy their creative abilities, avoid negative influences, and recognize that success is a journey, not a destination.

“Nigeria is a land of huge and unexplored opportunities, digital and otherwise, and I encourage you to identify yours and position yourself based on your talent and interest.”

Mrs Kofo Akinkugbe is a trail-blazing entrepreneur and the founder/CEO of SecureID Limited, a smartcard manufacturing and personalization company certified by MasterCard, VISA, Verve, ISO 9001, GSMA, GH-Link, GIMAC, CQM to manufacture bank ATM cards, telecom SIM cards and high-security identity cards and documents for the government, while serving clients in 21 countries across Africa.

SecureID has a technology and fintech subsidiary – SID Digital, with products such as digital identity, payments and automated fare collection for transport systems.

SecureID also has a transport subsidiary – Transport Payment Solutions (TPS) with e-gate and turnstile infrastructure installed on various transport platforms: rail, road and water.

In 2022, the Federal Government of Nigeria recognized the accomplishments and leadership of Mrs Akinkugbe by awarding her with the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) award during the 19th National Production Day (NPD), on May 2022 at the Banquet Hall, State House, Asokoro Abuja.

On October 2022, Mrs Akinkugbe was conferred with Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), at Nigeria’s National Honours Awards Investiture, by His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in recognition of her invaluable contribution to the Nigerian Manufacturing and Digital Payment Industry.

Also, present at the UniMed Convocation ceremony were the Governor of Ondo state, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON and other eminent personalities, Captains of Industries and Academia.

Kofo Akinkugbe was conferred with the OON awards in recognition of her invaluable contribution to the Nigerian Manufacturing and Digital Payment Industry.

She is a dynamic business administrator, innovative director and technocrat; she’s a passionate and audacious pioneer who has revolutionized the narrative on manufacturing and gender perspectives in Africa.

She was honored among 436 other recipients who were conferred with different national awards ranging from Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) amongst other national awards categories.

Mrs. Akinkugbe currently serves as a member of both the Nigerian Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Advisory Council and the Regulators’ Forum (a part of the Fintech Association of Nigeria). She also serves as an Exco Member of the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria, (MAN).

It will be recalled that SecureID Limited, under the leadership of Mrs. Akinkugbe, bagged the esteemed Global System of Mobile Applications (GSMA), drawing praise from several prominent personalities, including Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

Mrs. Kofo Akinkugbe was also awarded the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) award for 2022, during the observance of the 19th National Production Day (NPD), on the 12th of May 2022 at the Banquet Hall, State House, Asokoro Abuja.

SecureID Limited is a smartcard manufacturing & personalization company certified by Visa International, MasterCard Incorporated, Verve, GSMA, GH-LINK, GIMAC, Card Quality Management (CQM) and ISO 9001/2015 to manufacture and personalize credit and debit cards for all banks in Nigeria and clients in 21 countries across Africa. SecureID also manufactures SIM cards for telecom companies, loyalty cards for retail and high-security documents for the public sector: driver’s licenses, national identity cards, international passports and more. 

SecureID via its divisions – SID Digital and Transport Payment Solutions (TPS), provides secure innovative end-to-end digital payments, Mobile NFC/Tokenization, loyalty, digital identity and Automated Fare Collection for railway, road or water transportation systems

The event, which is slated to hold at the Lagos Oriental Hotels on September 29, 2022, with its theme as “Creating A Digital Ecosystem In Nigeria: The Hurdles, The Gains”, will have the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami as the Lead Speaker.

Other partners for the event that promises to chart a way to sectorial challenges in the industry include Galaxy Backbone, 9mobile, SecureID, Rack Centre, Arravo Global Services and Phase 3 Telecoms.

Making the partnership announcement in Lagos, Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, the Chairman of NITRA, explained that the Conference is germane to the present realities in Nigeria as both the industry regulators and the supervisory Ministry are working assiduously to set Nigeria on the apex list of digitally empowered countries, and make it a forerunner in global technology index.

Mr. Onwuegbuchi noted that the partnership with these organisations will add pep to the event as they will bring their wealth of knowledge in Cloud Computing, financial security, Social engineering, Data Center, telecommunication, and other relevant fields to the conference, and join the dialogue on the growth ingredients needed to drive the country towards a digitized society.

“Specifically, the Forum will offer stakeholders the opportunity of reassessing and reinvigorating some policies to make maximum impact in the growth of ICT in Nigeria. This is a growth conference, and stakeholders will be allowed to speak out on what the growth indices should be,” Mr. Onwuegbuchi highlighted.

Recent partners to join the event train are SecureID, one of Africa’s industry leaders in card manufacturing, personalization/fulfillment, and digital solutions; Arravo, a leading global systems integrator and managed services provider; and Phase3 Telecom, an indigenous aerial fiber optic network infrastructure provider, providing connectivity, network management and data storage services to wholesale, enterprise and retail customers across West Africa.

Others are Galaxy Backbone, a public enterprise of the Federal Government of Nigeria incorporated with the primary mandate of setting up and operating a unified ICT infrastructure platform that addresses the connectivity, transversal and other technology imperatives for MDAs and private companies; and Rack Centre, a carrier neutral Tier III Certified data centre focuses solely on providing best in class data centre colocation services, and unrestricted interconnect between carriers and customers.

Expected to be at the event are the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami; the EVC of the NCC, Prof Umar Garba Danbatta; the DG of NITDA, Mallam Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi, CEOs of other government and private ICT companies, the Media including the full membership of NITRA and other stakeholders in the industry, including COOs, CIOs, CFOs, CROs and CCOs.

The company offers innovative digital solutions whilst retaining its position as Nigeria’s pacesetter within the smartcard, personalization and digital solutions industry during its exhibition at the maiden edition of Nigerian Telecommunications Indigenous Content Expo (NTICE).

The event which took place at the Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos recorded in attendance Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Special Assistant on Innovation and Technology, Mr. Olatunbosun Alake, Executive Vice Chairman Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Umar Garba Danbatta, top executives from the NCC, and the private sector.

Speaking during the panel discussion themed, “Deepening indigenous content in the telecommunications sector through an effective regulatory framework”, the Chief Operating Officer, SecureID Limited, Mr. Olanrewaju Oke noted that SecureID have the capacity and skillset to manufacture all kinds of smartcards including simcards for telecom companies in Nigeria and other countries across the African continent.

“As a globally certified organization and leading indigenous manufacturer of telecom sim cards across Africa, SecureID have the global standard skillset and facilities to manufacture for all telcos in Nigeria and the Africa continent.

“Given the opportunity, this will not only create jobs, but will impact our economy positively not only as a country but as a continent, we have the skillset and the manpower to deliver, which will help cushion the rippling effect of foreign exchange and help to improve our economy,” He concluded.

SID Digital – a division of SecureID showcased its innovative solutions: The E-SIM Solution for telecom companies which allows activation of a cellular plan without having to use a physical SIM, Instant Issuance Self Service where bank customers can get new or retrieve old ATM cards instantly, Automated Fare Collection solution currently installed and operational on the Abuja-Kaduna rail line allows train commuters book seats and buy tickets online or at the stations securely and conveniently.

Also exhibited at the event was the Bucca Cafeteria Solution, a platform where companies that provide catering services can have their systems well managed and control under one platform, and Internet of Things (IoT), SID Digital can connect any electronic device to the internet making them smart.

The maiden NTICE expo 2022 themed: “Stimulating the Development of Indigenous Content through Innovation and Commercialization” aimed at vigorously pursuing the implementation of the National Policy on the Promotion and Implementation of Indigenous Contents (NPPIC) in the Telecommunications Sector focused on four core areas of NPPIC which are Manufacturing, Service and Software, People, Research and Development for innovation in line with the Presidential Mandate to diversify the economy.

SecureID Limited is certified by Visa International, MasterCard Incorporated, Verve, GSMA, GIMAC, Card Quality Management (CQM) and ISO 9001/2015 for Smart Card Manufacturing and Personalization of credit and debit cards for various sectors: banking, telecoms, high security government cards, retail and special projects with clients in Nigeria and twenty-one countries across Africa.

According to the group, the re-launch of the Residents Cards is yet another landmark achievement which further showcases Lagos State as a trailblazer among the league of States in the federation.

Kofo Akinkugbe (Mrs), Founder & Group Managing Director of SecureID Group, while commending the State Government said, “SecureID, as one of the strategic partners of this project, is proud of your numerous achievements particularly in the areas of technology and digitization of the State which this project seeks to address. We appreciate the opportunity given to us to provide our expertise, specifically in manufacturing of the card which involves embedding multi-application chip modules, personalization of payment and biometric data and fulfilment of the multi-purpose high security Lagos Residents smart card”, She concluded.

Akinkugbe also noted that as a partner, SecureID will remain resolute in her commitment to partner with the state to further develop Lagos State with relevant technology and bespoke digital solutions that will ensure seamless delivery of government promises to the residents of the “Centre of Excellence”.

Speaking on how the Residents Cards will impact government policies and benefit residents Akinkugbe affirmed that the Cards will ensure the harmonization of all the unique Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) of the State and enhance the implementation of the state’s THEMES agenda – Traffic Management and Transportation, Health and Environment, Education and Technology, which will in turn fulfil the yearning to make Lagos a 21st Century Economy in Entertainment and Tourism and in Governance and Security.”

Established in 2011, the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency, introduced the Lagos State Residents Card to integrate the residents of Lagos state into e-government initiatives to enable the services provided by government to be fully utilized and also provide an accurate picture for government policy and planning.

SecureID Limited is Africa’s industry leader in Card manufacturing, personalization/fulfilment and digital solutions, offering superior end-to end Identity management and digital security solutions to Public Sector, Private Sector, Finance Sector, Telecoms Sector and Retail sector.