Encomiums, felicitations as Tope Dare bows out after 25 years of impacts

The banking industry literally stood still recently as the doyen of ATM banking, financial technology, and the Executive Director, e-Business and Infrastructure, Inlaks Computers Limited, Tope Dare, exit the company after years of meritorious service in the industry.

Widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the ATM industry in Nigeria, Tope’s remarkable journey in 25 years, with 11 at Inlaks, has drawn accolades, awards and economics from colleagues, associates and contemporaries alike.

The send-forth event held at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos, witnessed outpouring of tributes and encomiums for the fintech icon. In his goodwill message, Acting Managing Director, Signature Bank, Godwin Nosike, described him as one who possesses a mix of these qualities: grit with which he tackles impossibilities; humility with which he listens, learns and respects our position; professionalism with which he delivers superior value and trustworthiness with which he delivers on his word.

The Chief Economist, Development Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Joseph Nnanna, called Dare a stand-up guy, a thoroughbred professional who embodies what professionals in all industries should model after, adding that his departure from Inlaks demonstrates bravery, tenacity, and ambition to do more and achieve greater heights.

On his part, the Managing Director, Optimus Bank, Ademola Odeyemi, said Dare played a crucial role in developing a strategic infrastructure that is currently being utilised by Optimus Bank. He said TD embodies professionalism, displaying qualities such as humility, responsibility, composure, and a genuine sense of humanity.

The Managing Director, Parallex Bank, Olufemi Bakre, described him as an embodiment of humility and a goal getter who has made significant impact in the digital world and banking industry.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Globus Bank, Elias Igbinakenzua, hailed his unwavering dedication, visionary leadership, and unparalleled commitment, saying these have been instrumental in shaping the success and growth of Inlaks. “Tope is a seasoned business leader whose commitment to excellence enabled Inlaks achieve remarkable milestones within his tenure. We know his legacy of innovation, entrepreneurship, collaboration, and compassion will forever be etched in the fabric of the organisation and the entire Nigerian Banking and e-Payment industry,” he said.

The Managing Director, Lotus Bank, Mrs. Kafilat Araoye said, “Tope Dare sees the positivity and bigger picture when handling projects but more importantly, poses high quality leadership that brings out the best in his team to deliver excellently”.

Chairman of the send forth organising committee, Kayode Olubiyi, tagged Dare as a man of many talents who has touched lives through his philanthropist efforts. His wife, Adedoyin, said her husband is a very hardworking, kind and humble man. “Tope’s dedication to his job is highly commendable, a true leader and a man of the people. I’m so proud of whom you have become,” she said.

The fintech icon, who reflected on his career in the last 25 years, during which the name, Tope Dare (TD), has evolved into a brand synonymous with digital transformation, innovation, excellence, and impact, said the milestone would not have been possible without the grace of God, the unwavering support of his parents, and the invaluable contributions of numerous individuals and entities along the way.

He also expressed appreciation to his colleagues in the industry, who have been more than just professional acquaintances but also partners in progress, sharing insights and pushing boundaries to achieve common goals.

Hailing his business partners, mentors, and coaches for their guidance, Dare said together, they have achieved remarkable milestones, driving digital transformation and innovation across Sub-Saharan Africa. Dare, who acknowledged his wife, Adedoyin Dare and daughters for their love, unwavering support and understanding, said they were his source of strength throughout this journey. Dare said: “As I reminisce on the past 25 years, I am filled with a profound sense of gratitude for the opportunities I have been afforded, the lessons I have learned, and the relationships I have forged along the way. I am truly blessed to have had the privilege of working alongside some of the brightest minds and most dedicated professionals in the industry. “As I look ahead, I am excited about the future and the opportunities that lie ahead. I am committed to continuing this journey of impact and excellence, guided by the values of integrity, innovation, and collaboration.”

At a fireside chat with TVC presenter, Catherine Bashua Alimi, at the event, Dare said his driving force is a passion to make an impact in all his endeavours. Asked what’s next for him, the ATM guru stated that he is working on certain projects that would be unveiled soon, just as he expressed his determination to focus more on his foundation to impact more lives.

Dare is a digital transformation intra/entrepreneur with over 23 years of proven success in fast-paced, high-growth markets in banking and technology in Sub-Saharan Africa. He joined Inlaks Computers Limited, the leading IT and Infrastructure Solutions Provider in Sub-Saharan Africa, in 2013 as the Executive Director, Infrastructure Business Unit. He was responsible for overseeing the administration, programmes, and strategic plan of the largest business unit at Inlaks with an annual revenue of over $30million from Infrastructure solutions, e-banking products, and IT services across Sub-Saharan Africa. Dare was responsible for contributing a total revenue in excess of $280.55 million (N97.72 billion), generated from the sales of more than 12,500 ATMs in Nigeria and eight other African countries. While at Inlaks, he expanded the ATM business with dedicated market development efforts into other Sub-Saharan African countries such as Ghana, Sierra Leone, Guinea, DR Congo, Togo, Gambia, Cote D’Ivoire and Zambia with sales of over 169 ATMs worth $2.6 million. He grew the customer base of the Infrastructure Business Unit from 22 to over 100 with 98 per cent customer retention. As an innovator, Dare introduced over ten new digital transformation solutions worth more than $30million into the financial services sector in Nigeria and grew the workforce of the Business Unit from 72 to over 330 employees across Africa.

He is an Honourary Senior Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers Nigeria (CIBN), a Certified Information System Auditor (CISA), Certified e-Business Consultant (CeBC), Postilion Certified, Certified ITIL professional, Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP), NCR Sales Consultant, Certificate in FinTech, and Certificate in Business Analytics, among others. As a testament to his outstanding leadership, steadfast commitment, and groundbreaking contributions to the growth of the ATM industry across Africa and the various digital innovations in the financial sector, Dare was crowned the ‘Fintech Sales Man Of The Year, 2022’ by the organisers of the Nigerian Fintech Awards. Today, Dare is the Global Co-ordinator and Founder of ATM Community, an online forum where over 900 registered members and over 2,000 newsletter subscribers from 54 countries collaborate on issues relevant to the global growth of ATMs.

Beyond his professional endeavours, he is the founder of the Tope Dare Foundation (TDF), a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting education and healthcare for the less privileged. The foundation currently sponsors some pupils in a public school and in 2022, TDF built and donated a 100-bed solar powered smart hostel to his alma mater in 2022. Tope Dare’s send forth event was sponsored by many digital payment stakeholders such as Xpress Solutions Limited, Lotus Bank, Vas2Nets Technologies, Toptech Group, Parallex Bank, Routelink, Altaviz, Ark Technologies, Comercio Partners, African Energy, SPL Group, CeBIH, Citi Data, Alat, Billyrinks, Globus Bank, Appzone.