Chekkit Technologies: Revealing counterfeit goods, with great focus on life-saving medications

The story of Chekkit Technologies begins with Dare Odumade, the Founder and CEO of Chekkit Technologies.
Dare Odumade’s journey exemplifies resilience, innovation, and a relentless drive to solve critical global challenges.

Fueled by a passion for technology, Dare taught himself web development through online resources in the late 2000s. During his second year at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, where he earned a BSc in Geology, he co-founded a social network that engaged over 30,000 students.

Later, he founded Sharebunk, a music streaming and instant messaging platform that achieved 5,000 monthly active users at its peak and secured 40 million music track distribution partnerships with Warner Music Group and FUGA.

With a strong foundation in software development, UX design, and strategic partnerships, Dare pursued an MBA in Software Entrepreneurship to refine his skills further by becoming a builder and operator.

His focus shifted to combating counterfeit products, particularly in Africa’s pharmaceutical sector, where counterfeit drugs claim over 500,000 lives annually (WHO). This mission led to the founding of Chekkit Technologies in late 2018.

Chekkit Technologies: The evolution
Revolutionising Supply Chain Transparency, Chekkit was established to tackle the pressing issue of counterfeit goods, starting with life-saving medications.
The company’s innovative digital twin infrastructure assigns cryptographic digital identities to physical products. These identities—embedded via QR codes, data matrix codes, NFTs, or smart IoT sensors—enable seamless product traceability, brand protection, and consumer engagement.
Chekkit’s technology facilitates transparency and operational efficiency by integrating with global standards like GS1 for serialisation and data transfer. Its solutions cater to industries such as pharmaceuticals, electronics, agriculture, fashion, food, beverage and luxury goods, supporting compliance with digital product data regulations in over 100 countries.
To date, Chekkit has managed over 500 million digital assets for more than 100 brands, including FTSE 500 and the likes of Flour Mills of Nigeria, Merck, SC Johnson, and Miraflash Nig Ltd.

Global impact and partnerships
Dare represents Chekkit as “Technical Advisor” to the global steering committee of the Verification and Traceability Initiative hosted by global health bodies like BMGF, UNICEF, WHO, Global fund, LMIC government FDA/RAs and other private sector players.
Under Dare’s leadership, Chekkit has secured high-profile collaborations with organisations like SAP, GS1 Nigeria and USA, NAFDAC, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, IFAD, and Cardano Blockchain. Recently, Chekkit partnered with Sanofi to integrate its middleware technology with Sanofi’s ERP systems, ensuring compliance with traceability policies across African markets.
A similar partnership with Amazon Transparency helps to identify counterfeit resellers by leveraging serial code transfers from manufacturing merchants to Amazon’s network. This also includes an exclusive-group traceability implementation pilot MOU with NAFDAC in 2025 to target a $400 million product serialisation opportunity.
Chekkit’s ChekIntel solution further supports brands with a drag-and-drop platform for dynamic marketing campaigns. This AI-powered workflow tool enables seamless updates to QR-linked campaigns, enhancing engagement and driving ROI.

Recognition and achievements
Chekkit’s groundbreaking work has earned numerous accolades, including the 2022 Global Startup Awards for Best Commerce Tech in Africa, the 2021 World Summit Awards, and recognition as one of the top nine HealthTech startups in Africa by Sanofi’s Afritech Awards in 2023. These honours affirm Chekkit’s pivotal role in shaping the future of supply chain visibility and combating counterfeiting globally.
Dare Odumade’s vision and Chekkit Technologies’ innovations continue to drive impactful change, fostering trust, safety, and efficiency in global supply chains.
He believes trust is no longer a promise, but it’s proof.
This why Dare Odumade’s Guardian recognition matters to businesses and everyday consumers.
Imagine buying medicine for your child… or food for your family… and silently wondering if it is safe, authentic, and worth the money you paid.
For millions of African consumers, this is not imagination — it is reality. And for businesses, it represents one of the biggest silent threats to brand trust, customer loyalty, and long-term growth.
This is why Dare Odumade’s recognition among The Guardian’s 100 Top Strategic CEOs of Nigeria’s Most Transformative Companies is more than a personal achievement. It represents a growing shift in how African brands are protecting customers, strengthening supply chains, and building genuine loyalty through technology.
As Founder and CEO of Chekkit Technologies, Dare is helping manufacturers answer one of the most important questions modern consumers are asking: “Can I trust what I’m buying?”

Turning products into verified experiences
Chekkit is redefining how brands connect with both their supply chains and their customers. By assigning secure digital identities to physical products, Chekkit allows every product to tell its story — where it was produced, how it moved, and whether it is genuine.
For consumers, this means peace of mind. A simple scan can confirm authenticity, unlock rewards, or provide helpful product information.
For businesses, it means visibility they have never had before — real-time tracking, deeper consumer insights, and protection against counterfeit losses that quietly erode revenue and reputation.

Where protection meets growth
What makes Chekkit especially powerful is that it doesn’t stop at stopping counterfeits — it helps brands grow stronger relationships with their customers.
Through its platforms, ChekTrace and ChekIntel, brands can:
Detect counterfeit and supply chain diversion risks early.
Track product movement from production to purchase.
Turn everyday product scans into loyalty campaigns and engagement experiences.
Gain real-time intelligence on consumer behaviour and market demand

The result?
Businesses move from guessing what customers want… to knowing.

Why this moment matters
Across Africa, regulatory bodies like NAFDAC are strengthening traceability requirements to protect public health and improve industry transparency. At the same time, customers are becoming more conscious, informed, and selective about the brands they trust.
This is creating a new competitive reality:
Brands that can prove authenticity and deliver transparent customer experiences will lead the future of trade.
Chekkit is helping businesses prepare for that future — already supporting over 100 brands, managing more than 500 million product identities, and engaging millions of consumers across African markets.

The bigger picture
Trust builds loyalty, loyalty builds growth.
For customers, Chekkit is helping ensure safer products and rewarding everyday brand interactions.
For businesses, it is creating a new growth engine powered by authenticity, transparency, and measurable customer engagement.
Dare Odumade’s recognition is not just about leadership, it highlights a broader movement reshaping how brands earn trust in today’s market.
Trust is the future of commerce, customers won’t just choose brands they recognise, they will choose brands they can verify, trust, and connect with.

Visit our website today; https://chekkitapp.com