Safaricom has called on businesses to integrate cybersecurity into digital services from the outset as artificial intelligence drives a new wave of deepfakes, impersonation and automated scams.
The telco made the call during its fourth Cybersecurity Summit in Nairobi on Wednesday, bringing together leaders from Kenya’s digital ecosystem under the theme “Harnessing AI, Strengthening Security”.
The summit examined artificial intelligence’s dual role in cybersecurity. While AI can help organisations detect threats and strengthen their defences, it is also giving attackers more sophisticated tools, including those used in ransomware campaigns.
Safaricom chief executive Peter Ndegwa said cybersecurity could no longer be treated as a technical safeguard added after a service has been developed. He called for security to be embedded from the beginning and reinforced through shared standards, responsible innovation and collaboration across sectors.
Ndegwa said AI was expanding opportunities for businesses and society, but stressed that trust must underpin its adoption.
The push comes as Kenya faces growing exposure to cyber threats. Data from the Communications Authority of Kenya shows that the National Kenya Computer Incident Response Team – Coordination Centre detected 11.12 billion cyber threat events in the last financial year, a 29 per cent increase from 8.62 billion in the previous year.
Sessions at the summit covered AI-enabled threat detection, incident response, ransomware preparedness and the country’s cybersecurity skills gap. Speakers highlighted the importance of tested procedures, clear accountability and employees who can identify unusual activity and verify high-risk requests, alongside investments in technology.
Safaricom is also targeting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which account for about 70 per cent of Kenya’s GDP but often lack the resources to maintain dedicated in-house security teams.
The company offers Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) services for secure, centrally managed connectivity across multiple business locations, alongside its Managed Security Operations Centre (MSOC). The MSOC provides continuous threat monitoring, analysis and coordinated incident response, helping smaller businesses access enterprise-grade protection without building their own security operations teams.
The initiative comes as enterprise services become an increasingly important growth area for telecommunications companies, with businesses shifting operations, customer data and payments onto digital platforms.
Safaricom reported annual revenues of KSh400 billion as at March 2026 and serves more than 71.6 million customers across Kenya and Ethiopia.
