The challenges of counterfeiting that is facing the country, on its consumable products, especially, food and medicine, has always been a cause for worry for the people and the government alike.
In this modern era, a feasible way of combating such challenges is through the use of technology.
The Chekkit app employs the use of technology that, involves the use of mobile authentication scheme, to verify the ownership of a product.
The application leverages on blockchain and artificial intelligence, to solve counterfeiting issues, as well as insufficient supply chain and pilfering.
Founded by Dare Odumade and Jida Asare, at Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology, (MEST), in Accra, Ghana, the Startup, gives a unique QR code, (ID labels), that gets placed on premium packaged food and beverage products.
After sometime Adebola Oyenuga with a background in artificial intelligence and Tosin Adelowo a digital marketer joined up with the team as co-founders
Chekkit is duly incorporated as an Anti-counterfeiting & supply chain tracking business in Nigeria.
However, for one of its services which is the MAS – Mobile Authentication Scheme, Chekkit, is yet to obtain a license from NAFDAC to serve Pharmaceutical companies.
Nevertheless, this limitation has not hindered Chekkit from offering its MAS/Marketing services to FMCG producers while Pharmaceutical producers who are interested in using the technology for tracking their product distribution can use the supply chain product.
According to Odumade, on reviewing past data on counterfeiting, there was a 12% reduction in 2012, due to the proliferation of Mobile Authentication Scheme, (MAS), technologies, but in 2015 the case saw a rise to over 40% across the continent because of inefficiencies.
The label provides manufacturers a means of tracking supply chain activities, from distributors to the final consumers.
Beyond the app, basic function in anti-counterfeiting, the app provides its users with feedback analytics and generates invoices.
With its blockchain integration, the events captured and logged onto the Chekkit app, are encrypted. This ensures that data integrity is maintained.
Operating currently in two countries in West Africa –Nigeria & Ghana-, the Startup plans to cast its net across Africa and beyond.
Overview of the App
Create: Create unique digital identities for each product, or, package on the blockchain network.
Tag products with smart labels, carrying numeric codes and QR codes.
Activate: The consumer-centric product verification process, via USSD and Mobile app scanner, with instant airtime rewards as incentives.
Android-based data collectors are used for Enterprise businesses.
Track: Sit back, trace and monitor real-time supply chain visibility, end-to-end on your dashboard track product location, performance, and counterfeit reports.
The Chekkit app also provides its users with the last mile consumer data analytics, brand loyalty, consumer engagement, and SMS marketing.
In addition to these, its users get a supply of real-time visibility of short and large enterprise supply chain.
Since the product launch in October 2018, the founders claimed to have recorded about 10,000 authentications which actually started from December 2018.
Further down the line, with NAFDAC’s license, Chekkit would scale this number to one million authentications before the end of 2019, therefore safe an additional one million lives according to the founders.
Dare Odumade is a UI/UX expert, with interest in optimising inefficient supply chain process.
Jida Asare is a pharmacist and software developer, who identified supply chain challenges, caused by illicit drug traders’.
