Managing Director/CEO Secure ID Kofo Akinkugbe, a prize-winning graduate of Mathematics of the University of Lagos, started her career with a 12-year experience in the banking industry, beginning with International Merchant Bank (a local affiliate of the First National Bank of Chicago) before proceeding to join the Chartered Bank team as a pioneer staff member. During this time, she received the British Government Chevening Scholarship to study for an MBA at the Strathclyde Graduate Business School, Scotland, UK.
Kofo Akinkugbe founded Interface Technologies Limited in1998, Secureid Limited in 2005 and Securecard Manufacturing in 2012. She currently serves as the Managing Director/ceo of Secureid Group (comprising of Secureid Limited and Securecard Manufacturing). Secureid is a Mastercard, VISA and Verve-certified smart card personalisation bureau and digital technology company; whilst Securecard Manufacturing is the first polycarbonate smart card manufacturing plant producing high security identity cards and documents for banks, telecoms and public sector organisation. Akinkugbe is a passionate and bold entrepreneur as both companies are the first of their kind in Africa.
With a vision to be Africa’s undisputed leading provider of world-class digital solutions, best suited for emerging markets, Secureid Limited provides turnkey solutions for the smartcard identity industry from project start, through design and personalisation to final card packaging/fulfilment.
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Secureid Limited supports a wide range of card products such as EMV smartcards, GSM SIM cards, magnetic-stripe debit cards, loyalty cards, contactless dual interface chip cards, multi-purpose secure identity cards and mifare cards.
In line with their mission statement, to be the fastest-growing digital security solution provider in West Africa, they have taken the bold step of investing in the highest security printing machines to produce unique products and services across all sectors.
Under the leadership of Akinkugbe, Secureid and Securecard Manufacturing have over the years, made a mark in the smart card industry that has earned them industry-wide recognition and respect across the global smart card industry, owing chiefly, to their reliable and unwavering ability to provide high-end digital security solutions to organisations and governments across Africa and beyond.
As a passionate and innovative real sector entrepreneur, Kofo has taken both companies through a number of strategic partnerships into the international market by attaining the most pre-requisite international certifications.
She possesses a rare combination of entrepreneurship, manufacturing and technology acumen and also sits on the board of a number of local and multinational corporate, philanthropic and humanitarian organisations, most recent is her appointment as an independent nonexecutive director of Cadbury Nigeria Plc.
In 2012 Kofo Akinkugbe won the Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship Mature Business Award. In May 2017, acting president Yemi Osinbajo appointed her to the board of the Nigerian Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Advisory Council.
