Kenyan businesses are set to enjoy a smoother and more secure way of updating their company records after the Business Registration Service (BRS) unveiled a new digital system designed to simplify changes of company officials.
In a notice issued on Tuesday, January 13, BRS Director General Kenneth Gathuma said the platform will allow companies to file key changes including the appointment or resignation of directors and the transfer of shares entirely online, cutting down on paperwork and delays that have long frustrated entrepreneurs.
At the heart of the new system is an automated verification process that uses multi-factor authentication, including a One-Time Password (OTP), to confirm every change from start to finish. BRS says this will make it much harder for fraudsters to sneak in unauthorised alterations or hijack company records.
“In line with our commitment to promote the ease of doing business in Kenya, BRS has reengineered and developed an enhanced automated service to make filing of changes of company officials easier, faster, and more secure,” the agency said in the statement.
The service will also require newly appointed directors to confirm their consent before their details are captured in the system — a move BRS says is meant to protect personal data and prevent people from being listed in companies without their knowledge.
“Prior confirmation by directors being appointed in a company is expected to aid in safeguarding personal data, in line with the Data Protection Act 2019, by ensuring that personal information is not used to appoint persons in companies without their consent,” the notice added.
To familiarise businesses and professionals with the new platform, BRS has scheduled a public webinar on January 20, 2026, at 3 pm, where stakeholders will be taken through the process and invited to give feedback before full rollout.
BRS, a state corporation established under the Business Registration Service Act, is responsible for administering company and business laws in Kenya, including the Companies Act, making it a central pillar in the country’s commercial ecosystem.
The move comes at a time when regulators are increasingly turning to digital tools to tighten oversight and improve efficiency. Just a day earlier, the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) announced that it had rolled out a new financial reporting system for all licensed market intermediaries, which took effect on January 9 and is accessible through its online portal.
Market intermediaries including forex brokers, stockbrokers, investment banks, fund managers, REIT managers and corporate trustees play a crucial role in connecting investors to markets. The new CMA system is expected to streamline how these institutions submit and manage their regulatory reports.
Together, the two initiatives signal a broader push by the government to modernise Kenya’s business and financial infrastructure, making it safer, more transparent and easier for companies to operate in an increasingly digital economy.