SecureID Limited, Nigeria’s foremost smartcard manufacturing company, had the honour of hosting the Honourable Minister Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, during his visit to their state-of-the-art facilities on Wednesday, April 10, 2024.
The visit marked a significant milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward digital transformation and enhanced security measures in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Minister Edun was impressed with the Chairman, the Group Managing Director, the board, and the entire team for putting together an impressive organization. He commended SecureID’s sustainability and viability over nearly two decades, emphasizing the company’s delivery in the critical areas of payments (banking cards), telecoms (SIM cards), and biometric identification of Nigerians.
He was impressed with the capacity of the factory to produce 200m cards annually which includes voter registration cards, national identity cards, drivers’ license and other identity management cards.
The primary objective of the minister’s visit was to acquaint himself with SecureID Limited’s world-class capabilities. The company 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 SecureID to engage with the government and advocate for policies to facilitate the seamless operation of their facilities, contributing to the country’s digital and security infrastructure.
During the interactive sessions, key discussions centered on pivotal areas of national interest, including the integration of backend services of TPS, one of its subsidiaries, for streamlined operations and enhanced efficiency, financial integration through payment technology and financial market integration, localization of eSIM technology, and self-service data enrollment for National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN) registration.
Noteworthy among the discussions was SecureID Limited’s contribution towards economic growth through local production as well as their export drive with clients in 21 African countries. The Minister expressed support for these initiatives, acknowledging the importance of fostering a conducive environment for indigenous companies to thrive.
Kofo Akinkugbe, Group Managing Director of SecureID Limited, expressed optimism for the company’s future collaboration with the government and its positive implications. 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.
In his words, “You are creating a vibrant and forward-looking organization that has not only achieved a lot but has laid the basis for doing a lot more, sustainably and in an exemplary manner. A strong brand is evolving.”
Minister Edun commended SecureID and its subsidiaries for their timely, value-adding, and impressive contributions to Nigeria. He acknowledged their potential to offer more in terms of employment opportunities, service delivery, and contribution to the Nigerian economy in the digital age. The minister then assured government support for companies investing, growing, and substituting foreign services with local alternatives.
SecureID is looking forward to collaborating with the Federal Government and governmental agency on digitising the economy, offline payments, identity management, government ID’s and other digital solutions.
