Kenya second in Africa for cyber-attacks
CAPTION: Interpol ranked Kenya second in Africa for cyber-attacks. Photo: William Ruto. Source: Facebook
By Japhet Ruto
NAIROBI – Kenya ranks as the second most exposed country to cyberattacks in Africa, accounting for 11.9% of all exploitable digital vulnerabilities detected across the continent in 2025, according to Interpol’s African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026.
The report, which draws on survey data from 36 African member countries, places Kenya behind South Africa, which accounted for 43.6% of vulnerabilities, and ahead of Nigeria at 9.1%.
Interpol attributes Kenya’s high exposure to weak cybersecurity practices, insufficient investment in digital defences, and delayed software patching within both government institutions and private companies.
How are hackers getting in?
Attackers are exploiting internet routers running outdated firmware, unsecured virtual private networks, and weaknesses in online document management platforms to access sensitive data.
The report is blunt about the nature of these security gaps.
“These vulnerabilities were not exotic or novel; they were well-documented, publicly known, and easily exploitable,” it stated.
The consequences for Kenya include data breaches that are driving identity theft, financial fraud and ransomware attacks targeting businesses and public agencies alike.
How is AI driving cybercrime across Africa?
The report identifies AI as a key accelerant of cybercriminal activity across the continent, enabling 55% of reported cybercrimes in Africa.
AI is making attacks faster, more scalable, and increasingly difficult for both victims and platforms to identify.
Africa’s rapid digital growth is widening the attack surface available to criminals.
The continent recorded more than 1.1 billion mobile subscribers in 2025, a figure that underscores how quickly digital infrastructure is expanding. Yet cybercrime legislation remains fragmented across many African states, and AI readiness within law enforcement agencies is described in the report as alarmingly low.
Interpol’s assessment characterises the shift in cyber-criminality as a fundamental change in scale and organisation, moving from isolated incidents to what the report describes as an industrialised, borderless ecosystem that operates across national boundaries with increasing sophistication.
Which policy is Kenya introducing?
Earlier, we shared details about the draft AI and Emerging Technologies Policy released by Kenya’s Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, inviting public participation for feedback.
The initiative marks a significant step in regulating AI, aiming to promote innovation and bolster Kenya’s economic resilience as the technology rapidly advances across various sectors.
The public’s input is crucial as the nation seeks to balance technological progress with ethical governance.
