Cyberspace is now a central theatre of operations powering economies, governance and national security. As Kenya accelerates its digital transformation, the same ICT dependencies that enable innovation also introduce systemic vulnerabilities.
In response, the Government of Kenya has undertaken critical policy, legal, regulatory and institutional steps — including the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act 2018 and the National Cybersecurity Strategy 2022-27.
These interventions ensure protection and resilience of Critical Information Infrastructure, incident response, public safety, harmonized handling and prosecution of cybercrime and national security. Additionally, Kenya's aspiration to accede to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime underscores its commitment to international cooperation and alignment with global best practices.
The Government continues to build capabilities for cyber threat monitoring, sector-specific training, incident response coordination and enhanced international partnerships.
Kenya welcomes global stakeholders to participate in Cyber First East Africa 2026 on 08 July in Nairobi — a premier platform for cybersecurity dialogue, innovation and collaboration. NC4 affirms its mandate to ensure a secure cyberspace for Kenya and Its People.
Official statement · Government of Kenya
Summit Overview
East Africa's Top 200+ Security Leaders
200+DELEGATES
20+SPEAKERS
10+SESSIONS
10+MEDIA PARTNERS
6AWARDS
96%
Talent Gap
Kenya has solidified its position as a digital powerhouse in Africa, with rapid innovations driving unprecedented economic inclusion. However, this growth has expanded the national attack surface.
Organizations face a severe 96% talent shortage, with only 1,700 certified experts for a national requirement of over 40,000.
Over 4.5 billion cyber threats detected between October – December 2025. That is a 441% jump. 21.8 million security advisories sent out by KE-CIRT/CC.
Cyber First East Africa 2026 serves as the definitive nexus for C-level executives, technology leaders, and policymakers to synchronize efforts against escalating digital warfare.
The Threat
4.5B
Threats Detected
Why Now
Africa's Digital Powerhouse
Under Siege
KES 29.9 Billion Lost.
Over 4.5 billion cyber threats detected in Q4 2025 alone. Kenya's cybersecurity market projected to reach $92.64M by 2029.
Source: KE-CIRT/CC · Q4 2025
4.5B
System AttacksDetected Q4 2025
+441%
70.9M
MalwareUnpatched vulnerabilities
+22%
58.3M
DDoS AttacksHighest in East Africa
+112%
42.8M
Brute ForceCredential intrusions
+38%
11.7M
Web App AttacksApplication exploits
+67%
518K
Mobile ThreatsMobile detections
+15%
Leadership
Advisory Board & Speakers
Industry leaders shaping the summit agenda and driving cybersecurity excellence across East Africa.
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Colonel (Dr.) James Kimuyu
Director
NC4
Rakesh Ravindran
Associate Director
Deloitte
👤
Kevin Kimani
GCISO
ASA International
George Kisaka
VP
ISACA Kenya Chapter
Michael Etale
Chief Information Security Officer
Absa Bank
Geoffrey O. Ochieng
Global AI Delegate to Kenya
Global Alliance for Artificial Intelligence
Hussein Omar Hussein
Director IT and Digital
SBM Bank Kenya
Rosemary Koech-Kimwatu
Head of Data Protection
KCB Bank Group
Frank K Muriuki
Lead - Information Security Officer
Kenyan Airports Authority
Peter Muhumuza
CISO
KCB Bank Uganda
Steven Mwesige
Ag. Chief Information Security Officer
Pearl Bank Uganda
Dr. Isabelle K
Principal Officer | Frequency Spectrum Management | Standardisation and Innovation
Communications Authority of Kenya (CA)
Emmanuel Kimeu
Secretary, ICT - Security and Audit Control - State Department of ICT and Digital Economy
Ministry of Information, Communications and The Digital Economy
Mutheu Nyagah - Khimulu
Advisory Board Member
African Cyber Society
George Rugero
Head - Information Security
Airtel Rwanda
Shiphrah Wairima
President - Kenya
Global Council for Responsible AI (GCRAI)
Colonel (Dr.) James Kimuyu
Director
NC4
Rakesh Ravindran
Associate Director
Deloitte
Event Sponsors 2026
Partnering with industry leaders
The brands shaping the East African cyber conversation alongside us
Six critical tracks addressing East Africa's most pressing cybersecurity challenges.
Critical Infrastructure
Track 01
Critical Infrastructure
Formulating resilient defense mechanisms against APTs, ransomware proliferation, and high-volume DDoS attacks exceeding 1Tbps.
Governance & Privacy
Track 02
Governance & Privacy
Strategically aligning enterprise architectures with the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act (CMCA) and national directives for data privacy and legal compliance.
Cloud & Zero Trust
Track 03
Cloud & Zero Trust
Eradicating implicit trust against social engineering and insider threats while navigating migration to hybrid/public cloud.
Human Firewall
Track 04
Human Firewall
Accelerating capacity-building models and institutional partnerships to transform the workforce into an active 'human firewall'.
AI & Threat Intel
Track 05
AI & Threat Intel
Leveraging AI for automated, proactive threat detection and incident response against algorithmic cyber-attacks.
Global Partnerships
Track 06
Global Partnerships
Driving regional/global collaboration frameworks to democratize actionable cyber intelligence and fortify cross-border defense.
Agenda
The Day's Programme
18 sessions across 6.5 hours — a single-track programme built for focus.
Morning Session
08:00 – 12:00
08:00 – 09:00Registration, Networking, and Refreshments
☕
09:05 – 09:10Keynote
Welcome Remarks
09:10 – 09:15Keynote
National Anthem and Opening Ceremony
09:15 – 09:30Keynote
Opening Keynote
The Digital Mandate Roadmap – NC4 and Kenya's Cyber Economy
Col Dr James Kimuyu – Director, National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Committee (NC4)
09:30 – 10:00Panel
Leadership Panel
Who Owns the Risk? Boards, Regulators and CISOs under New Expectations
Governance focused on accountability, reporting, and decision making for cyber risk across sectors, how responsibility is shared, what effective governance looks like in practice
10:00 – 10:15Fireside
Fireside Chat
The Sovereign Shield – Harmonizing Critical Infrastructure Defence under the CMCA 2025
The tactical enforcement of the 2025 Amendment Act, focusing on how government agencies and regulators are transitioning from legislative theory to real-time website deactivation and threat containment
10:15 – 10:30Fireside
Technology Presentation
Using Endpoint and Network Telemetry to Spot Business Critical Attacks
(Reserved for Sponsor)
10:30 – 11:15VIP Exhibition Tour followed by Networking & Refreshments
☕
11:15 – 11:45Panel
Panel Discussion
From Logs to Decisions – Making Threat Intelligence and Analytics Actionable
How organizations can prioritize a small set of high-value detection and intel use-cases, instead of drowning in data and alerts
11:45 – 12:00Fireside
Technology Presentation
MFA Fatigue & Password less – Implementing Identity First Security
(Reserved for Sponsor)
Afternoon Session
12:00 – 14:30
12:00 – 12:15Fireside
Technology Presentation
Behavioural Biometrics – The Next Frontier in Anti-Fraud for Digital Lenders
(Reserved for Sponsor)
12:15 – 12:45Panel
Panel Discussion
Keeping the Lights On – Practical Resilience Against DDoS, Ransomware and Network Disruptions
Keeping critical services available under intense pressure and concrete strategies for maintaining availability of critical services under DDoS waves, network issues, and ransomware across sectors
12:45 – 13:00Fireside
Technology Presentation
Proactive Deception Strategies for Government Portals
(Reserved for Sponsor)
13:00 – 13:30Networking Break and Refreshments
☕
13:30 – 14:00Panel
Panel Discussion
Identity Under Pressure – Stopping Fraud and Account Takeover in a Mobile First Economy
How identity abuse drives fraud and disruption across mobile money, digital banking, telco services, and citizen portals
14:00 – 14:15Fireside
Presentation
API Security at Scale – Protecting the Interconnected Ecosystem of the Silicon Savannah
(Reserved Session)
14:15 – 14:30Awards
Cyber First Award Ceremony & Raffle Draw
14:30Networking Lunch and End of Conference
☕
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Where East Africa's cyber leaders shape the future of regional security.
From Cyber First Events
Inside the Cyber First Experience
Moments captured from our conferences across the region.
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Panel discussion with industry leaders
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Conference networking
Conference exhibition
Executive networking session
Your Audience
Who Should Attend
Designed for senior decision-makers driving cybersecurity strategy across East Africa's most critical sectors.
Target Roles
10 roles
Government & Regulatory Authorities
Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs)
CIOs & IT Security Leaders
Critical Infrastructure Operators
Fintech & Mobile Money Leaders
Telecom & Digital Infrastructure
Risk & Compliance Professionals
Cybersecurity Technology Providers
Security Operations Center (SOC) Directors
AI & Cloud Security Specialists
Key Industries
6 sectors
Banking & Financial Services
Government & Public Sector
Telecom & Digital Infrastructure
Energy & Utilities
Healthcare
Manufacturing & Industrial
From the Stage
Event Highlights
Keynotes, panels, and conversations captured live from Cyber First summits.
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From the Room
Hear It From the Room
Hear directly from CISOs and cybersecurity leaders who attended Cyber First events.
Cyber First
Cyber First
Cyber First
Cyber First
Cyber First
Cyber First
Cyber First
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Awards & Recognition
Cyber First Awards East Africa 2026
Join us as we celebrate the Cyber First 2026 Awards, honoring those who demonstrate outstanding excellence and innovation in operational practices.
6Categories
5Eligible Sectors
2026Inaugural Edition
Nominations Open
Submit Your Nomination
Know a leader who deserves recognition? Self-nominations are welcome.
2026 Award Categories
We'll shine a spotlight on the visionaries and organizations leading the way in technological advancements.
01
Cybersecurity Innovation Award
Recognizing groundbreaking solutions in threat detection and defence technologies.
02
Excellence in Cyber Resilience Award
Honouring organizations that have demonstrated robust recovery and adaptation to cyber incidents.
03
Emerging Cybersecurity Leader Award
Celebrating young professionals or startups making significant contributions to the field.
04
Public Sector Cybersecurity Achievement Award
Acknowledging government initiatives that enhance national digital security.
05
The Master of the Attack Surface (Zero Trust Pioneer)
This awards a C-suite leader or architectural team that has executed the most sophisticated, seamless implementation of Zero Trust Architecture, effectively neutralizing external and internal threats without hindering business operations.
06
The Sentinel of Critical Infrastructure
This is dedicated to a public sector entity, utility company, or financial institution that has implemented highly creative strategies to safeguard national data and physical infrastructure from disruption.
Who Can Be Nominated
Government and regulatory authorities
Enterprises and private sector organisations
Banking and financial institutions
Critical infrastructure operators
Cybersecurity and technology innovators
Join Us
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