Adebayo Kalejaiye is an accomplished cybersecurity and technology leader whose career spans safeguarding pan-African financial systems to shaping secure, large-scale technology products in the United States. By 2023, he had earned a reputation for designing and executing a comprehensive cybersecurity policy framework across 20 African countries while serving as a Senior Cybersecurity Engineer at United Bank for Africa. This initiative reduced the bank’s cyber-attack surface by 95 percent, a transformative result that shielded over $10 million in potential data breach exposure and strengthened operational resilience across the continent.
His professional journey reflects a consistent record of leading high-impact projects at the intersection of security, technology, and global finance. At First City Monument Bank, Adebayo spearheaded the creation of a real-time cyber monitoring solution that cut intrusion attempts by 80 percent, while his leadership in achieving PCI-DSS and ISO 27001 compliance contributed to a 60 percent surge in debit card adoption across West Africa. Earlier, at Access Bank PLC, he oversaw a $10 million Data Loss Prevention program that improved data protection by 70 percent and enhanced security communications for 52 million customers in nine African countries.
Adebayo’s ability to translate complex security objectives into measurable business outcomes has been recognized internationally. In 2024, he received the Cybersecurity Excellence Award at the BAT International Innovation Awards, an honor celebrating African innovators whose work drives transformation in science, technology, and artificial intelligence.
Two projects illustrate the depth of his expertise and vision. The first was his leadership at UBA in developing multilingual, culturally adapted cybersecurity awareness campaigns that increased institutional cyber readiness by 80 percent, directly supporting the stability of financial operations in emerging economies. The second came during his tenure at Amazon, where he contributed to the product vision for a fraud detection enhancement deployed globally, raising automated fraud evaluation to 99.94 percent and fortifying trust in worldwide digital commerce. Both reflect his commitment to building systems that are not only secure but also inclusive and scalable.
Beyond his operational achievements, Adebayo has shared his insights through industry publications and professional forums, adding thought leadership to his technical accomplishments. Holding a BSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of Lagos, where he graduated in the top five percent of his class, and pursuing an MBA at Georgia Institute of Technology on a full merit scholarship, he continues to blend strategic business acumen with technical depth.
Today, Adebayo’s work bridges continents and industries, with a focus on securing critical infrastructure, advancing innovation, and enabling trusted digital ecosystems worldwide.
Exclusive Interview with Adebayo Kalejaiye – A cybersecurity and AI leader
1. Your career in cybersecurity has taken you from Nigerian banks with a continental footprint to working with some of the biggest names in technology globally. Looking back, what early experiences shaped your approach to leadership and problem-solving?
Adebayo Kalejaiye: Growing up in Nigeria, I learned the value of resilience early on. The environment I was in demanded that you think on your feet and make the most of the resources available. When I started my professional career at Access Bank, I was responsible for securing systems that served over 52 million customers across three continents. That kind of responsibility forces you to develop discipline, strategic thinking, and the ability to work through pressure without losing clarity.
One of my earliest defining projects was the $10 million Data Loss Prevention initiative at Access Bank. It wasn’t just about technology; it was about understanding people, processes, and how to align a large team behind a shared objective. That experience shaped my leadership style, collaborative but uncompromising when it comes to protecting critical assets. It also instilled in me the importance of building trust, both within teams and with the customers we serve.
2. In 2024, you received the BAT International Innovation Award in the Cybersecurity Excellence category. Can you walk us through the significance of that recognition and what it meant to you personally?
Adebayo Kalejaiye: That award was deeply meaningful to me because it was not just about personal achievement; it was a recognition of the collective impact my teams and I have been able to make. The BAT International Innovation Awards celebrate Africans who are influencing the global technology landscape, and to be honored in the Cybersecurity Excellence category was both humbling and validating.
It acknowledged years of building security frameworks in high-stakes environments, such as the policy framework I implemented at United Bank for Africa. That project reduced the cyber-attack surface across 20 African countries by 95 percent. When you work behind the scenes in cybersecurity, your successes are often invisible because the absence of an incident is the proof of your work. This award shone a light on that invisible labor and reinforced the idea that innovation is not just about creating new tools, it is also about creating safer digital environments where businesses and communities can thrive.
3. One of the standout moments in your career was leading multilingual cybersecurity awareness campaigns across Africa. How did you approach such a culturally diverse project, and what did you learn from it?
Adebayo Kalejaiye: When I took on the multilingual awareness project at UBA, I knew the technology alone wouldn’t be enough. Cybersecurity is only as strong as the people who use the systems, so I needed to make the message resonate across different languages and cultural contexts. We designed campaigns in local dialects and tailored the content to reflect how different communities perceive and manage risk.
The result was an 80 percent increase in cyber readiness across the organization, which was incredibly rewarding. But what I took away from that experience was even more valuable: the reminder that technology leaders need cultural intelligence just as much as technical expertise. When you respect and adapt to cultural nuances, you unlock a level of engagement and compliance that no amount of technical enforcement can achieve.
4. You’ve been part of projects that have safeguarded billions in digital assets and strengthened financial systems across Africa. Which two projects stand out as defining moments for you, and why?
Adebayo Kalejaiye: The first would be the cybersecurity policy framework at UBA. It was a massive undertaking, spanning 20 countries with varying regulatory environments. The success of that framework didn’t just improve security metrics; it gave the bank the operational confidence to expand digital services in regions that had been seen as too risky.
The second would be my work at Amazon, where I helped develop a fraud detection enhancement for global deployment. It increased automated fraud evaluation to 99.94 percent, which, at Amazon’s scale, translates to protecting millions of customers worldwide. That project reinforced my belief that security at scale is possible when you marry the right technical architecture with cross-functional collaboration. Both projects align perfectly with my professional goal: to design security solutions that enable growth instead of limiting it.
5. As a Nigerian professional making an impact on the global stage, how do you see your role in inspiring the next generation of African technology leaders?
Adebayo Kalejaiye: I see my career as proof that talent from Africa can operate at the very highest levels of global technology and finance. The challenges I faced, from working in emerging markets with evolving infrastructure to navigating the competitive environments of multinational organizations, have given me a unique perspective that I actively share with younger professionals.
I mentor upcoming cybersecurity specialists, not just on the technical skills, but on how to communicate value, lead diverse teams, and navigate complex environments. I hope that my journey shows them that the global stage is within reach, but you have to prepare yourself technically, culturally, and mentally to thrive there. The work I do today is not just about solving problems in the present; it’s about paving pathways for those who will come after me.
Conclusion:
As we bring this conversation to a close, one thing is clear: Mr. Adebayo Kalejaiye’s story is not only about personal success but also about impact. From strengthening financial systems across 20 African countries to shaping global technology solutions, his journey reflects what determination, vision, and skill can achieve when paired with the right opportunities. His leadership in designing frameworks that reduced cyber risks by 95 percent, his role in protecting billions in digital assets, and his recognition with the BAT International Innovation Award for Cybersecurity Excellence all stand as milestones in a career defined by purpose and precision.
Bridge Africa Technologies, through its platform, has rightfully placed a spotlight on individuals like Mr. Kalejaiye, Nigerians who are making their mark abroad while still serving as beacons of inspiration at home. His path shows young people across Africa that it is possible to rise from local beginnings to global influence without losing sight of community or responsibility.
What stands out is not only his technical achievements but also his commitment to mentoring and opening doors for the next generation. In celebrating his accomplishments, we are reminded that the future of cybersecurity and technology is not just about systems and protocols; it is about people who dare to build, protect, and inspire. For the youth looking up to him, his message is simple but powerful: excellence has no boundaries, and your work can create ripples that extend far beyond where you start.
