ICT Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo has reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring safe access to digital services for all Kenyans, citing this as key to building trust and strengthening the country’s growing digital economy.
Speaking during the launch of Airtel’s AI Spam Alert service—the first of its kind in Africa—Kabogo said Kenya is taking proactive steps to protect consumers from digital threats such as spam and fraud.
“We have made a firm commitment that digital service is accessed safely by all consumers, and this is key in building trust and ensuring digital entrenchment,” Kabogo said.
He added that while laws governing the digital space are important, they must be complemented by collaboration with sector players to implement technological solutions that enhance safety online.
“Enacting law in itself is not enough. We have to continue working with the sector to make the digital space safe for all,” he said.
The CS expressed concern over the rising number of Kenyans who have lost money to digital scams, often through spam messages that trick users into sharing personal data or making unauthorized transactions.
Airtel’s newly launched AI-powered spam alert service will now help protect its subscribers from such threats by detecting and flagging suspicious messages in real time. Kenya becomes the first market in Africa to benefit from this innovation, further cementing its position as a regional tech leader.
“The choice of Kenya by Airtel as the first market to enjoy this service shows Kenya’s leadership on the regional and global stage,” Kabogo said.
The event was also attended by Communications Authority Director General David Mugonyi, Airtel Kenya CEO Ashish Malhotra, and other stakeholders in the ICT sector. Kabogo pledged continued government support for innovations that enhance digital trust and drive economic growth.
“We will continue supporting innovations that make our digital economy flourish,” he concluded.
