The government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Kenya’s cybersecurity systems and developing responsible governance frameworks for Artificial Intelligence (AI) to safeguard the country’s rapidly growing digital economy.

Speaking while opening the Sixth Annual Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) Conference in Naivasha on July 1, 2026, Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Raymond Omollo said digital transformation has become a key driver of economic growth, public service delivery and government transparency, but has also increased exposure to cyber threats that require coordinated national action.

The three-day conference, jointly organised by the National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Committee (NC4) and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), brought together cybersecurity experts, government agencies, regulators, academia, private sector players and development partners to discuss emerging cybersecurity challenges and opportunities.

Omollo said Kenya’s digital transformation agenda under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) continues to expand access to government services through digital platforms.

He noted that the eCitizen platform currently supports more than 24,000 government services, serves over 15 million users and processes approximately 500,000 transactions every day.

Cybersecurity framework

Omollo said increased digitisation has improved efficiency, transparency and accountability in government operations while also expanding the country’s cyber risk landscape.

“National security is no longer confined to traditional security infrastructure. Today, it includes protecting cloud systems, digital payment platforms, telecommunications networks and critical information infrastructure that citizens depend on every day,” he said.

He highlighted measures already undertaken by the government to strengthen cybersecurity, including implementation of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, operationalisation of the National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Committee and enforcement of the Critical Information Infrastructure Protection and Cybersecurity Management Regulations, 2024.

According to the Principal Secretary, the regulations require organisations managing critical information infrastructure to identify digital assets, secure their systems and continuously monitor threats to protect essential services.

Dr. Omollo also welcomed Parliament’s recent approval of the establishment of the National Cybersecurity Agency, saying the institution will improve national coordination, strengthen resilience and enhance Kenya’s preparedness against evolving cyber threats.

AI opportunities and risks

The principal secretary said the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence is creating new opportunities while also introducing emerging risks, including misinformation, online fraud, identity manipulation and cyber-enabled attacks.

“As technology evolves, we are witnessing the emergence of AI-generated deepfakes, sophisticated misinformation campaigns and new forms of cybercrime that threaten public trust and national security. Our response must evolve just as rapidly,” he said.

He said the future of information security will increasingly require addressing the misuse of AI and other emerging technologies alongside traditional cybersecurity measures.

Omollo challenged stakeholders to use AI to strengthen cybersecurity while ensuring sensitive information remains protected from unauthorised access and misuse.

He also called for increased investment in local innovation and skills development to position Kenya as a producer of cybersecurity solutions.

“The next generation of cybersecurity solutions should not only be imported into Kenya; they should also be designed, developed and exported from Kenya,” he said.

Collaboration and innovation

Omollo urged participants to use the conference as a platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing and the development of practical recommendations that will support the adoption of internationally recognised information security standards across both the public and private sectors.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a secure, resilient and trusted digital ecosystem that supports innovation while protecting citizens, institutions and critical national infrastructure.

The conference is expected to generate policy, technical and operational recommendations aimed at strengthening Kenya’s cybersecurity framework and improving preparedness against emerging digital threats.

The government said the ongoing investment in cybersecurity, responsible AI governance and institutional reforms is intended to ensure Kenya’s digital transformation continues in a secure environment while supporting economic growth and protecting public services.