Kenya has launched the Kenya Cyber Resilience (KCR) project to strengthen the security, resilience, and reliability of its fast-growing digital ecosystem, as cyber threats against public and private systems continue to rise sharply.
The project was unveiled on Monday, January 26, and is financed by the European Union at a total cost of 454 million Kenyan shillings, equivalent to about $3.5m.
According to a statement by the EU delegation to Kenya, the KCR project is built around three complementary pillars. The first focuses on strengthening legal, regulatory, and institutional cybersecurity frameworks. The second pillar aims to enhance operational capabilities at national and sectoral levels to prevent, detect, and respond to cyber incidents. The third promotes digital awareness, inclusion, and trust, with particular emphasis on women, young people, and users of public services.
Kenyan authorities said the pace and scale of the country’s digital transformation have significantly increased exposure to more complex and sophisticated cyber threats, making cyber resilience a national priority.
Data from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) shows that systems detected 12.5 billion cyber threats in 2025, representing a 247 per cent increase compared with 2024, highlighting the growing risks facing the country’s digital infrastructure.
The KCR project is designed to complement Kenya’s existing regulatory and policy framework, which includes the National Cybersecurity Strategy, the Digital Master Plan, the Data Protection Act, and the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act. As part of wider institutional reforms, the government also plans to establish a National Cybersecurity Agency.
As Kenya positions digital technology as a key driver of socio-economic development, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has emphasised that countries cannot fully realise the benefits of information and communication technologies without robust cybersecurity safeguards.
In its Global Cybersecurity Index 2024, the ITU ranked Kenya 21st globally and third in Africa, awarding high scores for cooperation, capacity development, and organisational measures. However, the ITU noted that further improvements are still needed in regulatory frameworks and technical controls to keep pace with evolving cyber risks.
