Kenya Moves Into Bank and SIM Card Production With New Nairobi Facility
The Nairobi smart card factory brings bank and SIM card production closer to home as institutions look to cut delays and costs
Kenya has started producing its own bank and SIM cards after a new manufacturing plant opened in Nairobi, reducing reliance on overseas suppliers and tightening control over critical payment infrastructure.
The facility, operated by SecureID Kenya, produces EMV-standard bank cards, telecom SIMs and government identity materials. For financial institutions and mobile operators, the shift is operational. Orders that once depended on international logistics can now be fulfilled within days, cutting both lead times and procurement costs.
Founder and executive chairlady Kofo Akinkugbe framed the investment as a retention of value within the continent. “Africa spends billions printing cards, passports and ID documents that it could make itself,” she said at the launch. “Those billions leave the continent, taking jobs, skills and self-respect with them.”
The project forms part of a $20 million phased rollout. The company plans to employ about 150 staff within 2 years, with projections rising to 400 as production scales. Beyond employment, the plant introduces technical processes tied to secure chip embedding and identity verification, areas often controlled by foreign vendors.
The choice of Nairobi reflects market conditions rather than geography alone. Kenya’s financial ecosystem, shaped by widespread mobile money use and a growing digital services sector, creates steady demand for secure identity tools. Akinkugbe said the decision followed exposure to the country’s business climate in 2018, when the opportunity for localised production became clear.
Industry stakeholders point to supply chain resilience as a core benefit. Habil Olaka, chairman of the Financial Inclusion Fund Advisory Board, said reliance on imports has historically exposed banks and telecom firms to delays. Local manufacturing reduces that vulnerability and stabilises service delivery.
The implications extend beyond logistics. Producing cards domestically gives regulators and institutions greater oversight of sensitive data systems, particularly in payments and identity verification. It also positions Kenya as a regional supplier, with neighbouring markets still dependent on imports.
Demand for secure digital identity products continues to rise alongside digital banking and mobile connectivity. With production now based in Nairobi, Kenya is moving from a consumer of these systems to a participant in their supply, adding a new layer to its role in Africa’s digital economy.
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