Kenya is facing rising cybercrime losses, with new findings showing that artificial intelligence is now driving both sides of the country’s digital security battle. According to the Africa Cybersecurity Report Kenya 2024 2025 by the Africa Cyber Immersion Centre, cybercrime cost Kenya an estimated KSh 29.9 billion in 2024 2025. The figure forms part of the wider five billion dollars that Africa loses each year to digital crime.
Kenya’s rapid shift toward digital services in fintech, mobile money, and online platforms has made the country a major target for cybercriminals. The report highlights that AI is reshaping the cybersecurity landscape. Organisations are now using AI powered systems to detect unusual activity, automate responses, and improve recovery.
At the same time, cybercriminals are using AI to carry out faster and more complex attacks. These include deepfakes, voice mimicking for social engineering, automated intrusions, and AI enhanced vulnerability exploitation. Identity based crimes remain the most common threat. Phishing, credential theft, and Business Email Compromise account for almost half of all reported cases. AI is making these attacks more personalised and effective, particularly against financial and telecom institutions.
Ransomware and supply chain disruptions are less frequent but cause the highest financial damage. The report notes that AI is increasing the complexity and impact of such attacks, making it harder for organisations to recover.
“Artificial intelligence is reshaping both sides of the cybersecurity equation,” the report states.
It adds that organisations must strengthen AI driven defences while preparing for equally advanced AI enabled attacks.
Kenya’s digital infrastructure remains vulnerable due to unencrypted remote access services such as Telnet, FTP, and RDP. Human errors and system misconfigurations add to these weaknesses, increasing reliance on intelligent monitoring tools and automated recovery solutions.
The report recommends shifting from traditional risk management to stronger cyber resilience. This includes routine restoration testing, secure and unchangeable backups, and AI supported incident detection to ensure faster recovery after attacks.
As AI adoption grows across business and criminal networks, the report stresses that Kenya must leverage technology strategically to protect its rapidly expanding digital economy.
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