Kenya is taking steps to operationalise its National Cybersecurity Agency and strengthen coordination among national security institutions after detecting approximately 2.6 billion cyber threat events in the three months to September 2026. The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) detected the threats between July and September, representing a 14.45 per cent increase from the previous quarter. This highlights growing pressure on the country’s digital infrastructure.
The CA issued more than 20 million cyber threat advisories through the National Kenya Computer Incident Response Team Coordination Centre (National KE-CIRT/CC) during the period. The advisories warned organisations and other stakeholders about emerging risks and recommended measures to strengthen their cyber defences. Director General David Mugonyi noted that Kenya’s expanding digital economy was creating new security challenges.
Mugonyi warned about the growing misuse of artificial intelligence to automate cyberattacks and facilitate deepfake fraud and impersonation. The threats are targeting critical information infrastructure across e-government, telecommunications, banking and finance, information and communications technology, and academia. Attacks on these systems could disrupt essential services, compromise business operations and undermine public confidence in digital platforms.
Kenya’s digital footprint has expanded significantly, with mobile data subscriptions reaching 64.3 million and active mobile subscriptions standing at 88 million, equivalent to a penetration rate of 165 per cent. Information, Communications and the Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo said the government would prioritise strengthening national cybersecurity institutions, protecting critical infrastructure and expanding the country’s technical capabilities.
A key priority is operationalising the National Cybersecurity Agency, established this year to lead national cybersecurity efforts and operate the National Cybersecurity Operations Centre. The government also intends to strengthen coordination between the agency and existing institutions, including the National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Committee (NC4), National KE-CIRT/CC and the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner.
Kabogo warned that artificial intelligence was adding another dimension to Africa’s cybersecurity challenges, with criminals increasingly using the technology for deepfake impersonation, fraud and automated phishing. He highlighted Africa’s shortage of cybersecurity professionals, estimating that the continent has approximately 400,000 cybersecurity practitioners, fewer than a third of whom are formally certified.
Kenya was included in Tier 1, the highest category of the International Telecommunication Union’s Global Cybersecurity Index 2024, reflecting sustained efforts to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity framework. The 7th Africa Cyber Defense Forum was held under the theme, “Africa’s Cyber Sovereignty: From Vision to Action in a Fragmented World,” reflecting growing concerns about the security of digital infrastructure, data governance and Africa’s position in an increasingly fragmented global technology landscape.
Key points
- Kenya detects 2.6 billion cyber threats in 3 months
- Government to operationalise National Cybersecurity Agency
- Africa faces shortage of cybersecurity professionals
