Kenyan firms ramp up cyber fraud prevention as demand for digital services spikes

Kenyan firms are aggressively ramping up their cybersecurity defences by increasing the absorption rate of professionals and investing in requisite tools, infrastructure and processes to counter a remarkable rise in criminal attacks.

Speaking during the 7th graduation ceremony for the Cyber Shujaa cohort of cybersecurity professionals at the USIU University, Serianu CEO William Makatiani stated that demand for cybersecurity professionals with the right skills to handle emerging threats remained salient, even as novel training and upskilling programs deliver more improved programs.

“We are witnessing a higher rate of proactive strategizing by Kenyan firms, including assigning stronger roles for their information security teams, leveling up cybersecurity to board visibility and deepening their budgets by at least 40 per cent over the past year alone,” said Makatiani.

Makatiani added that the firm expected overall budgets for cybersecurity defense, human resourcing and training to reach Ksh.5 billion in 2026.

He explained that the Cyber Shujaa, an upskilling program, delivered in partnership with the Kenya Bankers Association and the Challenge Fund for Youth Employment, had so far trained and immersed over 5,000 cybersecurity professionals against a target of 4,850 professionals.

This is part of the broader national approach to counter aggression as illustrated by a 441% increase in threat incidents reported by late 2025, over 4.5 billion detections, and losses exceeding Ksh.30 billion.

“We are encouraged that over the past decade, Kenyan organizations have accepted the rationale for shifting from reactive to proactive strategies to combat sophisticated attacks, including AI-powered phishing and ransomware,” said Makatiani.

Cyber Shujaa has identified itself as a catalyst to provide employment opportunities for the Kenyan Youth through its training programmes. It also focuses on tracking job retention, progression, and increased earning potential over time.