Recognizing excellence in securing Africa’s financial systems through AI-driven strategies and resilient cyber infrastructure
When the lights dimmed and the packed hall at the 2023 Dratech International Conference fell silent, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived. Among the night’s most anticipated honors, the Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence Innovation Award was presented to Adebayo Kalejaiye a recognition of his extraordinary work protecting pan-African financial systems from ever-evolving cyber threats while pioneering AI-enabled defense strategies that have reshaped industry standards.
This award, given annually to leaders pushing the boundaries of innovation in cybersecurity and AI, is not just about protecting systems. It is about safeguarding trust, ensuring resilience in the digital economy, and creating frameworks that adapt as threats grow more sophisticated. In 2023, Dratech found all these qualities in Kalejaiye’s body of work.
Who He Is
Adebayo Kalejaiye is widely regarded as one of the leading cybersecurity minds on the continent. With a BSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of Lagos, graduating in the top 5% of his class in 2016, Kalejaiye entered the tech sector with an analytical precision that became his signature. His career, even before 2023, was defined by high-stakes leadership roles in some of Africa’s most influential financial institutions.
Holding globally recognized certifications including Lead Cybersecurity Manager ISO 27032 and Lead Incident Manager ISO 27035 he is a rare blend of technical strategist, operational leader, and visionary. But what truly sets him apart is his ability to connect technological innovation with real-world impact: safeguarding billions in assets, protecting millions of customers, and designing security architectures that evolve as fast as the threats they counter.
The Work That Earned Him the Award
By 2023, Kalejaiye was serving as Senior Cybersecurity Engineer at United Bank for Africa (UBA), a banking powerhouse with operations in 20 African countries and international financial hubs like London, Paris, Dubai, and New York. Here, he developed a comprehensive cybersecurity policy framework spanning all 20 African markets. This framework didn’t just meet compliance standards, it reduced the bank’s cyber-attack surface by 95% and mitigated over $10 million in potential data breach exposure.
Central to this success was Kalejaiye’s integration of AI-powered threat intelligence and predictive analytics into UBA’s security architecture. This allowed his team to anticipate malicious activities before they materialized, deploying countermeasures in real time. His leadership also extended beyond technology: he directed an eight-person cross-border security team and launched multilingual cyber awareness campaigns that boosted institutional readiness by 80%.
Before UBA, at First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Kalejaiye engineered a real-time cybersecurity monitoring system in collaboration with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and infrastructure teams. The result was an 80% drop in cyber intrusion incidents. He further spearheaded PCI-DSS and ISO 27001 compliance efforts, restoring customer confidence and contributing to a 60% rise in debit card adoption across West Africa, a notable leap in digital financial inclusion.
Earlier in his career at Access Bank PLC, one of Africa’s largest financial institutions with over 52 million customers, he led the enterprise-wide cybersecurity strategy. Here, his work included overseeing a $10 million Data Loss Prevention (DLP) initiative that strengthened data protection by 70%. He also managed customer security communication across nine African countries, reinforcing public trust in multinational banking systems.
Why Dratech Chose Him
The Dratech Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence Innovation Award is not simply about past success it is about sustained, transformative impact. In Kalejaiye’s case, the panel recognized a career-long trajectory of tackling some of the most complex cybersecurity challenges in Africa’s financial sector with creativity, precision, and foresight.
His work demonstrated three standout qualities that aligned perfectly with Dratech’s criteria:
- AI-Driven Cyber Defense – From predictive risk modeling to automated intrusion detection, Kalejaiye embedded AI capabilities into financial security frameworks long before many peers, setting a new benchmark for resilience in African banking.
- Cross-Border Scalability – His policy frameworks and security strategies were not isolated to single branches or countries; they operated seamlessly across dozens of jurisdictions, regulatory landscapes, and cultural contexts.
- Measurable, Lasting Impact – Reducing attack surfaces by 95%, cutting intrusion rates by 80%, and boosting readiness by 80% are not just statistics they are proof of transformative change in how financial institutions defend themselves.
A Voice in the Industry
Colleagues and industry observers often describe Kalejaiye as a “leader who sees around corners.” His approach combines technical depth with an acute understanding of human factors in cybersecurity. This perspective was evident in his multilingual, culturally sensitive training programs designed to engage staff across different geographies and in his belief that technology is only as strong as the people who operate it.
In his own words during the award ceremony, Kalejaiye noted:
“Cybersecurity is not just a technical problem, it’s a trust problem. When you secure systems, you protect people’s livelihoods, economies, and futures. AI gives us the speed and foresight to do that at scale; but it must be guided by sound policy and ethical principles.”
About the Dratech International Conference
The Dratech International Conference is one of Africa’s premier technology gatherings, celebrating innovators who are reshaping industries through bold ideas and practical solutions. The Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence Innovation Award is among its most competitive honors, with nominees evaluated on technical innovation, measurable results, ethical standards, and scalability.
In 2023, Adebayo Kalejaiye stood out among a strong field of contenders from across the continent. His selection reflects not only his achievements but also the growing importance of AI-enabled cybersecurity in safeguarding Africa’s digital future.
Conclusion
While his journey has already influenced some of the most critical areas of African banking security, Kalejaiye’s work is far from over. With threats evolving at unprecedented speeds and AI capabilities expanding daily, his commitment to ethical, adaptive, and future-proof security frameworks ensures that his impact will be felt for years to come.
The 2023 Dratech Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence Innovation Award cements Adebayo Kalejaiye’s place among Africa’s leading innovators a recognition not just of what he has achieved, but of the standard he continues to set for the industry.
