How Ashifi Gogo Built Sproxil Into a Global Anti-Counterfeit Platform

In Summary

• Sproxil was founded in 2009 and launched that same year to help consumers verify product authenticity through mobile phone technology.
• The company introduced Mobile Product Authentication (MPA), enabling buyers to confirm products via SMS, app, or call center before purchase.
• Sproxil’s technology expanded across multiple countries and industries, preventing counterfeit distribution in medicine, consumer goods, and agricultural products.

Deep Dive!!

Lagos, Nigeria, Tuesday, January 20, 2026 - For decades, counterfeit consumer products, especially medicines, have posed a major public health and economic threat across emerging markets. The World Health Organization has consistently reported that large portions of pharmaceuticals in parts of Africa and Asia fail safety standards, with fake medications contributing to avoidable injuries, treatment failures, and deaths. Despite the scale of the challenge, verification tools historically remained inaccessible to everyday consumers.

Ashifi Gogo entered this problem space with a direct solution. The solution is a technology that enables buyers to confirm authenticity instantly, using devices already widely available, such as mobile phones. 

Sproxil’s breakthrough product, Mobile Product Authentication (MPA), introduced a scratch-off label printed with a unique one-time code. Consumers reveal the code and send it by SMS to a short code to receive an immediate confirmation reply. The system later expanded to include smartphone apps, QR codes, and a customer support line for users without texting capability. Manufacturers enroll products into Sproxil’s system, and every code corresponds to a securely tracked item.

From inception, Sproxil positioned itself as both a technology provider and a supply-chain trust partner, rather than simply a label printer. Its model requires collaboration with pharmaceutical companies, distributors, and regulators, enabling monitoring of product flow while offering buyers clear assurance that what they are purchasing is genuine.

The company’s work quickly expanded beyond pharmaceuticals. Counterfeit infiltration also affects consumer packaged goods, agricultural supplies, automotive parts, and electronics. Sproxil developed systems to authenticate these products as well, applying a uniform protection framework across multiple industries.

Sproxil is now cited as one of the earliest and most sustained examples of large-scale anti-counterfeit technology successfully built for emerging markets. Its expansion across Africa, Asia, and subsequent international operations demonstrates a validated model once considered too difficult to execute at scale. Gogo’s approach shows how digital innovation tailored to local conditions rather than imported from external assumptions can materially improve consumer trust, business integrity, and public safety.

Early Life, Education, and Experience

Dr. Ashifi Gogo was born in Ghana, where he completed his early schooling before moving to the United States for higher education. 

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics and Physics from Whitman College in 2005, graduating with a double major in both subjects.  Following this, Gogo pursued graduate studies in engineering at the Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, where he completed both a Master’s degree and a PhD in Engineering. He was also the first-ever PhD Innovation Fellow at Dartmouth, a distinction that highlights his focus on applying academic research to real-world technology and enterprise building. 

Gogo’s academic focus during his doctoral work centered on authentication technologies for emerging markets, directly influencing the creation of Sproxil’s core product, mobile-based verification systems designed to combat counterfeit goods. 

Before founding Sproxil, Gogo had early exposure to technology and entrepreneurship, including co-founding VSOL, a voice-over-IP company serving large institutional clients in Ghana. 

His professional experience also includes roles teaching and advising in entrepreneurship and technology management; he has served as a lecturer in New Business Ventures Technology Management at Columbia University and has been involved with academic and global innovation forums, including the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Social Innovation. 

Throughout his career, Gogo has been recognized for his innovation and impact. He was named to Fortune’s 40 Under 40 list and listed among Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business. He has also received multiple awards, including the Social Entrepreneur of the Year recognition by the Schwab Foundation, and was recognized by the U.S. White House as an Immigrant Innovator “Champion of Change.” 

Inspiration to Start Sproxil

Ashifi Gogo’s motivation to start Sproxil emerged from the urgent and tangible problem of counterfeit products in emerging markets, particularly pharmaceuticals. While completing his doctoral studies at Dartmouth College, Gogo focused on mobile authentication technologies and studied how these could address widespread trust gaps in product supply chains. His research revealed that millions of consumers in Africa were at risk of purchasing fake or substandard medicines, a problem causing preventable deaths and undermining economic confidence in formal markets. 

Gogo realized that mobile technology could offer a scalable, accessible solution, leveraging the fact that mobile phone penetration in Africa had grown rapidly, even in rural areas, while other infrastructure (such as formal verification systems) remained weak. The idea was to empower consumers directly, allowing them to verify the authenticity of products at the point of purchase rather than relying solely on manufacturers or regulators.

The first pilot of Sproxil’s Mobile Product Authentication (MPA) system launched in 2009 in Nigeria, targeting pharmaceutical products. This pilot demonstrated that consumers would use a simple scratch-and-text method to confirm product authenticity, providing both protection for consumers and data visibility for manufacturers to monitor distribution channels and detect counterfeit activity.

Gogo’s inspiration was therefore problem-driven rather than profit-driven: he wanted to create a system that would save lives, improve trust in markets, and reduce economic losses caused by counterfeit goods. He has frequently stated in interviews that Sproxil was designed to be a practical, real-world solution, not a theoretical innovation, and that African markets required technology that could work with the mobile infrastructure already in place, rather than assuming access to broadband or smartphones.

Problems Sproxil Helps Solve

Sproxil was created to address systemic challenges related to counterfeit products, particularly in emerging markets where regulatory enforcement and supply chain oversight are limited. The company’s solutions focus on protecting consumers, manufacturers, and public health through technology.

1. Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals: Fake medicines have long posed a severe public health risk in Africa and Asia. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 10–30% of medicines in some African countries are counterfeit, contributing to treatment failure and avoidable deaths. Sproxil’s Mobile Product Authentication (MPA) allows consumers to instantly verify the authenticity of medications at the point of sale using a scratch-off code sent via SMS. This protects patients and builds trust in the formal pharmaceutical market.
2. Counterfeit Consumer Goods: Counterfeit products are not limited to medicine, as they also appear in consumer packaged goods, agricultural supplies, and electronics. These fakes erode brand reputation and endanger consumers. Sproxil extends its authentication technology to these industries, enabling companies to track products and ensure buyers receive genuine items.
3. Supply Chain Transparency: Many manufacturers in emerging markets lack real-time visibility into product distribution. Counterfeit goods often infiltrate supply chains at various points. Sproxil provides manufacturers with a data-driven dashboard that monitors sales and verifies product movement, helping to detect diversion and counterfeiting before it reaches consumers.
4. Consumer Trust and Market Confidence: In markets plagued by counterfeits, consumers often avoid branded products or rely on informal channels. Sproxil’s authentication tools empower buyers, increasing confidence in legitimate products and supporting formal market growth.
5. Regulatory SupportGovernments and health agencies often struggle to enforce standards due to limited resources. By verifying products at the consumer level, Sproxil complements regulatory efforts, providing actionable data on counterfeit prevalence and distribution trends.

Milestones Achieved to Date

Sproxil was co-founded by Ashifi Gogo in 2009 while he was completing his doctoral studies as Dartmouth College’s first-ever PhD Innovation Fellow. The company launched its first commercial pilot in Nigeria in 2009, focusing on pharmaceutical products in collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). Its Mobile Product Authentication (MPA) system allowed consumers to verify medicines instantly via scratch-off codes sent by SMS, empowering buyers to detect counterfeit products at the point of purchase. This approach addressed a major public health challenge and established Sproxil as one of the first large-scale mobile anti-counterfeit platforms in Africa.

Between 2010 and 2012, Sproxil expanded into additional markets, including Ghana, Kenya, and India, partnering with pharmaceutical companies to implement authentication on commonly counterfeited medicines. During this period, Sproxil received pivotal early-stage funding from academic and social enterprise sources, including a landmark $1.8 million investment from Acumen Fund in 2011 and support from the Omidyar Network. This capital enabled the company to scale operations and move beyond the pharmaceutical sector into consumer goods and agrochemicals. The innovative approach earned the company global attention, with Sproxil being named the #1 Most Innovative Company in Healthcare by Fast Company in 2013.

From 2014 to 2018, Sproxil extended operations across East Africa and Asia, adapting its technology to the growing penetration of mobile internet. The company introduced QR code verification and smartphone app functionality alongside the original SMS system. Partnerships with international pharmaceutical companies and NGOs allowed Sproxil to improve supply chain transparency and public health monitoring. By 2018, the platform had achieved the highest consumer engagement in the industry, surpassing 75 million verifications, and Ashifi Gogo was recognized in Fortune’s 40 Under 40 (2015) and as a Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year.

As of early 2026, Sproxil has protected over 2.5 billion product units across more than 20 countries. A significant recent milestone was the April 25, 2025, launch of AISHA (Artificial Intelligence Support Healthcare Assistant), a WhatsApp-based AI tool that provides Nigerian consumers with verified health information and drug usage guidance following product authentication. In late 2025, the company further expanded its impact by partnering with Nigeria’s National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) to use AI-powered surveillance for tracking malaria treatments. Sproxil remains a White House “Champion of Change” and continues to work with major manufacturers and governments to strengthen global market trust and supply chain integrity.

Lessons for Other Entrepreneurs

1. Solve Real, Structural Problems: Ashifi Gogo’s experience with Sproxil demonstrates the importance of addressing systemic issues rather than surface-level needs. Counterfeit products were a persistent problem across African markets, and Gogo’s solution focused on empowering consumers and improving supply chain transparency. Entrepreneurs can learn that targeting deep-rooted challenges often creates sustainable value and impact.
2. Leverage Existing Infrastructure: Sproxil’s model relied on mobile phones, which were widely accessible even in rural areas. Rather than assuming advanced technology adoption, Gogo built a solution that worked with what consumers already had. This teaches entrepreneurs the value of aligning innovations with existing infrastructure for maximum adoption.
3. Combine Social Impact with Business Viability: Sproxil operates at the intersection of technology, health, and commerce. By designing a system that protects consumers and strengthens markets, Gogo created a venture with both social impact and commercial relevance. Entrepreneurs can see the benefit of integrating purpose with practical business strategy.
4. Scale Through Partnerships: Sproxil expanded rapidly through partnerships with pharmaceutical companies, NGOs, and governments. These collaborations enabled access to new markets and reinforced credibility. Entrepreneurs can learn that strategic partnerships are critical when entering complex or regulated industries.
5. Data-Driven Decision Making: Sproxil provides manufacturers with real-time verification data, allowing for supply chain monitoring and fraud detection. Gogo’s approach shows that building systems that generate actionable data not only improves operational efficiency but also strengthens trust with clients and users.
6. Persistence in Emerging Markets: Operating in regions with regulatory challenges, infrastructural gaps, and high counterfeiting rates requires resilience and patience. Gogo’s work demonstrates that entrepreneurs must be prepared to navigate complex environments while maintaining focus on long-term goals.
7. Innovation Can Be Context-Specific: Sproxil’s success stems from adapting technology solutions to the unique realities of African markets, rather than importing Western assumptions. Entrepreneurs should understand that local context matters deeply in product design, customer engagement, and operational strategy.

Today, Sproxil continues to expand its anti-counterfeit technology across more than 20 countries, focusing on pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, and agricultural products. The company is increasingly integrating advanced digital tools, including QR codes and smartphone apps, to reach new markets and strengthen supply chain monitoring. Founder Ashifi Gogo remains actively involved in guiding innovation and strategic partnerships, emphasizing the ongoing mission of protecting consumers, improving trust in markets, and supporting public health. As Sproxil scales, it serves as a model for how technology-driven solutions can create both social impact and sustainable business growth in emerging markets.