Favour Adeniyi, a 24-year-old product designer at Microsoft, is leading a quiet but powerful revolution—rebuilding trust in Nigeria’s digital economy through human-centred and secure design. As fraud and system vulnerabilities continue to hinder full digital adoption among Nigerian small businesses, Adeniyi is reimagining how digital platforms can foster trust, usability, and safety at scale.
Digital Mistrust: A Barrier to Nigeria’s Tech Growth
Despite rapid tech adoption in Africa, over 70% of small businesses in Nigeria remain hesitant to digitise operations, citing fear of fraud and lack of trust in digital systems. According to a recent EFInA report, only 36% of Nigerians trust digital financial services, with cyber fraud complaints rising by 89% between 2022 and 2023, based on data from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS).
This lack of trust has broader implications:
- 39% of Nigerian adults remain financially excluded
- Failed transactions and data breaches fuel suspicion
- User trust has become a competitive advantage in enterprise technology
“What If Trust Could Be Designed?”: Favour Adeniyi’s Thesis
At the 2024–2025 Women in Computer Science closing ceremony at Morgan State University, Adeniyi shared insights into her mission: designing for trust in high-stakes enterprise environments.
“Nigeria’s digital economy is growing fast, but trust is still missing. We’re building tools people are afraid to use. I believe trust isn’t just earned; it can be designed,” she said.
Adeniyi, originally from Jos, Nigeria, moved to the U.S. to study computer science, where she discovered a passion for UX design, blending psychology, creativity, and system thinking. Today, she’s helping shape how users worldwide interact with Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365.
Designing Secure Experiences at Microsoft
As part of Microsoft’s Cloud + AI division, Adeniyi leads UX design for onboarding and enterprise security. Her work centres on:
- Designing fraud-resistant sign-up flows
- Creating secure onboarding systems
- Embedding trust and transparency in enterprise tools
“My role isn’t just about how things look; it’s about helping users feel safe and confident using powerful tools,” she noted. Her contributions have been pivotal in initiatives ensuring enterprise products are “secure by design,” reducing friction, and increasing digital adoption globally.
Why Trust Matters in Nigeria’s Digital Ecosystem
Key Challenges:
- System vulnerabilities and poor user experience
- Data privacy concerns
- Identity theft fears
- Limited infrastructure
Resulting Impacts:
- Low adoption of digital platforms
- Financial exclusion
- Hesitance among small and medium enterprises (SMEs)
Adeniyi’s approach highlights how inclusive design, which integrates cultural context, accessibility, and clarity, can solve these problems by putting user safety and trust at the centre of digital transformation.
Empowering the Next Generation of African Tech Leaders
Beyond her technical work, Adeniyi is also an influential mentor and speaker, advocating for more representation of young African women in tech.
“I want to make sure people from places like where I grew up can see themselves in tech leadership, because we belong in these rooms.”
She frequently shares insights on:
- Inclusive design practices
- Tech career growth for underrepresented groups
- The evolving role of designers in emerging markets
Her impact goes far beyond Microsoft; she’s helping shape a more inclusive, secure, and user-centric future for digital Africa. As Nigeria aims to lead Africa’s digital future, rebuilding user trust is essential. Through secure, inclusive, and transparent design, professionals like Favour Adeniyi are showing that trust isn’t just earned; it can be built from the very first user interaction.
References
The Guardian Nigeria
