RICHARD KIMEKU
Abuja,Nigeria
Summary
Seasoned technology leader with a proven record of transforming public-sector technology organizations into value-driven engines aligned with national strategy. Recognized for pragmatic, results-focused leadership that translates complex technical challenges into measurable business outcomes. Expertise spans digital transformation, enterprise architecture, program and portfolio governance, cybersecurity awareness, policy compliance, and cross-functional collaboration with C-suite, ministries, and government agencies. Demonstrated ability to elevate IT from a cost centre to a strategic, enterprise-value driver that enhances efficiency, compliance, and revenue outcomes.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work history
DIRECTOR, TECHNOLOGY
FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICE (FIRS)
04.2025 - 08.2025
- Repositioned the Technology Department as a value-focused, enterprise-outcomes engine aligned to FIRS strategic goals; enhanced tax administration processes through technology enablement.
- Conducted comprehensive strategy analysis of the enterprise network; identified failure points and delivered an improved architecture targeting 99.95% availability.
- Reorganized IT service management into a customer-centric model with a formal service catalogue and SLA-driven delivery; achieved 96% customer satisfaction.
- Established the Business Technologist function to bridge technology and business units, driving cross-department collaboration, process analysis, and design thinking; accelerated requisitions and approvals automation to under three months.
- Led the Technology Infusion Initiative, a digital transformation roadmap starting with an intranet ecosystem, online requisition/approval processes, core system integration, and personalized virtual workspaces to enforce process adherence and policy compliance.
- Transitioned project delivery from a traditional product focus to an outcome-driven approach, implementing Value Delivery Management to improve stakeholder engagement and measurable business impact.
DIRECTOR, PROJECT DELIVERY DEPARTMENT
FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICE (FIRS)
01.2025 - 04.2025
- Drove rapid shift from product-centric to outcome-centric project delivery; established governance frameworks and Value Delivery Management to ensure strategic alignment and demonstrable results.
HEAD OF BUSINESS ANALYSIS & ESERVICES DEPARTMENT
FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICE (FIRS)
03.2020 - 12.2024
- Directed the digital transformation portfolio (FIRS Anywhere) to increase voluntary compliance, reduce operating costs, and optimize resource utilization.
- Developed a strategic framework for taxing the digital economy; architected a national e-invoicing infrastructure and enterprise design.
- Led the 2021-2024 digital transformation program, delivering initiatives to improve taxpayer experience, drive process automation, and enable revenue growth.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR / HEAD OF NETWORKS & INFRASTRUCTURE
FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICE (FIRS)
01.2016 - 01.2019
- Planned and delivered enterprise network and infrastructure services to support strategic and operational needs; enabled WAN mobility via enterprise APN.
- Implemented Enterprise NetApp storage solutions and a data center co-location strategy, significantly improving reliability and scalability.
- Achieved substantial downtime reduction through robust infrastructure resilience and process improvement initiatives.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR / HEAD OF NETWORKS & INFRASTRUCTURE
FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICE (FIRS)
01.2011 - 12.2015
- Led organization-wide deployment of investment technology and change management; delivered LAN/WAN infrastructure with secure, scalable operations.
- Implemented a private cloud and WAN redesign that yielded multi-million-dollar savings for government operations.
- Maintained stable operations with proactive risk management and capacity planning across four consecutive years.
SENIOR MANAGER - NETWORKS & INFRASTRUCTURE
FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICE (FIRS)
01.2008 - 12.2010
- Administered networks and IT infrastructure to ensure high availability; expanded nationwide intranet capabilities.
- Drove service delivery enhancements and security best practices to improve availability and user satisfaction.
SENIOR NETWORK TRANSMISSION ENGINEER
BROADBAND TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
LAGOS
VARIOUS ENGINEERING ROLES
BROADBAND TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
LAGOS
Education
Bachelor of Engineering - Mechanical
UNIVERSITY OF BENIN
Benin City, EdoBusiness Continuity and Disaster Recovery Training - undefined
TRAINING HEIGHTS
E-Goverment - undefined
KOICA AND FMC
Executive Leadership Training - undefined
FIRS
CALABAR, CROSS RIVERSConfiguring and Deploying a Private Cloud with System Center 2012 - undefined
JETLINK EDUCATION SERVICES
Microsoft Executive Conference for Nigeria Public Sector - undefined
MICROSOFT SEATTLE
SEATTLE, USACISCO Executive Briefing - undefined
CISCO
LONDON, UKTechnical Training - undefined
INTEROP
LAS VEGAS, USAundefined
NEWYORK USA
NEWYORK, USAExecutive Leadership Training - undefined
LONDON
LONDON, UKManagement Training - undefined
U.S DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, OFFICE OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Skills
- Strategic Technology Leadership
- Digital Transformation & IT Strategy
- Enterprise Architecture & IT Governance
- Program & Portfolio Management
- Stakeholder Engagement & Change Management
- Service Delivery Management (ITIL-based)
- Network/Infrastructure Management
- Policy Compliance & Regulatory Technology
- Vendor Management & Outsourcing
- Cybersecurity Awareness & Security Controls
- Data Centre & Cloud Strategy
- Performance Measurement & Analytics
Accomplishments
- Transformed FIRS ICT into a strategic enabler, shaping the organization's direction and outcomes.
- Achieved 99.99% service delivery reliability under challenging conditions, supporting substantial annual revenue.
- Implemented an intranet-based digital ecosystem and end-to-end e-service reforms to streamline requisitions, approvals, and policy adherence.
- Led national digital infrastructure initiatives (e-invoicing, digital taxation strategies) with cross-agency impact.
- Reduced solution deployment time from six months to two weeks through private cloud adoption and automation.
- Implemented data centre co-location and scalable network architectures, tripling client confidence and capacity.
- Consistently delivered multi-million-dollar savings through optimized WAN and cloud-based solutions.
Personal Information
Nationality: Nigerian
Custom
- Training Heights, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria, 01/01/16, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Training
- KOICA and FMC, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria, 01/01/16, E-Government
- FIRS, Calabar, Cross Rivers, Nigeria, 01/01/15, Executive Leadership Training
- Jetlink Education Services, 03/01/14, Configuring and Deploying a Private Cloud with System Center 2012
- Microsoft Seattle, Seattle, Washington, USA, 11/01/13, Microsoft Executive Conference for Nigeria Public Sector
- Cisco, London, England, UK, 05/01/13, Cisco Executive Briefing
- Interop, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, 01/01/13, Technical Training
- New York, New York, New York, USA, 01/01/12, Technical Training
- U.S Department of Treasury, Office of Technical Assistance, Washington, D.C., USA, 06/01/11, Management Training
- IT Manager West Africa, 01/01/11, Certified IT Manager HP Education Services
- FIRS, Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria, 01/01/10, Senior Management Training
- Cisco, Manama, Bahrain, Bahrain, 01/01/10, Cisco Networks Conference
- ICAN, 01/01/10, Due Process Budget and Project Management
- Torque IT, South Africa, South Africa, 01/01/10, Network Security
- MIS Training Institute Africa, 01/01/09, Effective Audit and Investigation for Improved Tax Compliance
- Training Heights, 01/01/08, Project Manager Training
- ITIL F, Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria, 01/01/08, ITIL Manager
- Torque IT, South Africa, South Africa, 01/01/08, Network Security
- Tanzania Revenue Authority, Tanzania, Tanzania, 01/01/07, Leadership Study Tour
- Cisco, London, England, UK, 01/01/07, Cisco Executive Briefing
- Philips Consulting, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria, 09/01/21, Certified Business Analysis Professional
- Tom Associates, Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria, 01/01/16, Business Analytics & Data Management
- Uganda Revenue Authority, Kampala, Uganda, 01/01/18, Data Warehousing & Business Intelligence
- Interlink Technologies & Management Systems, Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria, 01/01/21, Digital Transformation
- TF Academy, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria, 01/01/21, Developing Leadership Competence
- NIPSS, Kuru, Jos, Nigeria, 01/01/21, Policy, Strategy and Leadership
- Training Heights, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria, 01/01/21, Enterprise Architecture with TOGAF 9.1
Timeline
DIRECTOR, TECHNOLOGY
FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICE (FIRS)
04.2025 - 08.2025
DIRECTOR, PROJECT DELIVERY DEPARTMENT
FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICE (FIRS)
01.2025 - 04.2025
HEAD OF BUSINESS ANALYSIS & ESERVICES DEPARTMENT
FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICE (FIRS)
03.2020 - 12.2024
DEPUTY DIRECTOR / HEAD OF NETWORKS & INFRASTRUCTURE
FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICE (FIRS)
01.2016 - 01.2019
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR / HEAD OF NETWORKS & INFRASTRUCTURE
FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICE (FIRS)
01.2011 - 12.2015
SENIOR MANAGER - NETWORKS & INFRASTRUCTURE
FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICE (FIRS)
01.2008 - 12.2010
SENIOR NETWORK TRANSMISSION ENGINEER
BROADBAND TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
VARIOUS ENGINEERING ROLES
BROADBAND TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
Bachelor of Engineering - Mechanical
UNIVERSITY OF BENIN
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Training - undefined
TRAINING HEIGHTS
E-Goverment - undefined
KOICA AND FMC
Executive Leadership Training - undefined
FIRS
Configuring and Deploying a Private Cloud with System Center 2012 - undefined
JETLINK EDUCATION SERVICES
Microsoft Executive Conference for Nigeria Public Sector - undefined
MICROSOFT SEATTLE
CISCO Executive Briefing - undefined
CISCO
Technical Training - undefined
INTEROP
undefined
NEWYORK USA
Executive Leadership Training - undefined
LONDON
Management Training - undefined
U.S DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, OFFICE OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Similar Profiles
Maryam Bashir MagajiMaryam Bashir Magaji
Tax Volunteer at Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRSTax Volunteer at Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS
NNEKA ONYENAGUBONNEKA ONYENAGUBO
Manager at Federal Inland Revenue ServiceManager at Federal Inland Revenue Service
Blessing HycienthBlessing Hycienth
Primary Assignment as a Corps' Member at Federal Ministry of Finance, AbujaPrimary Assignment as a Corps' Member at Federal Ministry of Finance, Abuja
Fauziah Umar ManirFauziah Umar Manir
Finance and Accounts Department (Management Information Reporting) at Nexim BankFinance and Accounts Department (Management Information Reporting) at Nexim Bank
IKECHUKWU CHIGOZIE NWIGWEIKECHUKWU CHIGOZIE NWIGWE
FOUNDER at Kristhan Integrated LimitedFOUNDER at Kristhan Integrated Limited