Kenya is stepping up efforts to strengthen cybersecurity awareness and develop a skilled workforce to counter growing digital threats, with technical and vocational training institutions identified as critical centres for building the country’s cyber resilience.
The government’s campaign has taken the message to Kiambu National Polytechnic (KINAP), where students and trainers from technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions gathered for the fifth edition of the Cyber Week Sensitisation Programme.
The initiative brings together government agencies, educational institutions and technology companies to equip young people with practical knowledge of online safety, data protection, cybersecurity careers and the responsible use of emerging technologies.
The programme comes as digital platforms become increasingly central to education, business, communication and public service delivery, exposing individuals and institutions to risks ranging from online fraud and identity theft to data breaches and attacks on computer systems.
Speaking during the event, Dr Martin Koyabe, non executive chairman of the National Cyber Security Agency, said the nationwide campaign was designed to build public awareness of cyber threats while strengthening the pool of professionals needed to protect Kenya’s digital infrastructure.
Dr Koyabe said the programme, organised through collaboration between the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, the Ministry of Education and industry partners, was moving across counties to reach students and other groups at the grassroots.
He said the Kiambu engagement brought together trainees from different institutions to learn about online safety, understand emerging threats and explore opportunities in the cybersecurity industry.
“Cybersecurity is really important for the country because we need to build a foundation of citizenry that are aware of the threats,” he said.
The October campaign includes awareness sessions, discussions with stakeholders and a hackathon, with the main Cyber Week event scheduled for October 27 to 29.
Dr Koyabe said the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in homes, businesses and digital applications had introduced new considerations for online safety, making it necessary to strengthen public understanding of how emerging technologies could be exploited.
He said the country needed to expand its cybersecurity skills base to ensure young people could access opportunities in the sector while helping institutions respond to increasingly sophisticated digital threats.
The State Department for Technical and Vocational Education and Training said the campaign was intended to ensure graduates leave training institutions equipped with the digital competencies required in a technology driven economy.
In opening remarks delivered on behalf of Principal Secretary Esther Muoria, senior ICT officer Alex Kaira said cybersecurity awareness was becoming indispensable as TVET institutions adopted digital learning platforms, electronic records and other technology based systems.
Dr Muoria said cybersecurity could no longer be treated as the exclusive responsibility of ICT professionals but as a shared obligation involving trainees, trainers, institutions and everyone using digital platforms.
“The future of work is increasingly digital. The future of TVET must therefore be digitally skilled, cyber aware and industry ready,” she said in her address.
She noted that the government was strengthening the national cybersecurity framework through legislation, policies, institutional coordination, capacity building and public awareness.
The Kenya Cybersecurity Strategy 2022, the Data Protection Act, 2019, and the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018, provide an important foundation for safeguarding digital systems, personal information and online interactions.
The PS urged institutional leaders to incorporate cybersecurity into their organisational culture, trainers to improve their digital competencies and trainees to take advantage of opportunities for professional development and certification.
Participants were expected to learn about the national cyber threat landscape, data protection and privacy, cybersecurity career pathways, training opportunities and practical measures for protecting digital devices and information.
These measures include creating strong and unique passwords, protecting login credentials, avoiding suspicious links and messages, updating software, using secure networks and promptly reporting suspected cyber incidents.
Dr Muoria said the objective was to move beyond awareness to practical competence, enabling graduates to protect information, systems, customers and services in their future workplaces.
Dr Koyabe said Kenya was reviewing its cybersecurity policy framework to respond to emerging challenges and improve coordination among institutions responsible for protecting the country’s digital environment.
He said work was under way on a 2026 cybersecurity policy, while preparations for the next version of the national cybersecurity strategy were also progressing.
The agency was also working with relevant institutions to align mandates and strengthen cooperation, particularly following the establishment of the National Cyber Security Agency in 2026.
Dr Koyabe identified coordination among the agency, the Communications Authority of Kenya, the ICT Authority and the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner as important to building a more unified national cybersecurity system.
He said the objective was to ensure that the different institutions complemented one another in protecting digital infrastructure and responding to emerging threats.
The agency’s chairman also addressed concerns about the security and resilience of digital systems ahead of the 2027 General Election.
He said the relevant institutions were strengthening coordination to safeguard platforms used to collect, store, retain and access information, particularly during the electoral period.
“We are very keen to ensure that we have a ring fence in terms of our security and resilience of our systems,” Dr Koyabe said.
He said protecting digital infrastructure was a priority as the country prepared for an election period in which the integrity, availability and security of information systems would remain important.
Dr Koyabe said Kenya had made progress in developing cybersecurity regulations and policies but needed to keep reviewing its framework to accommodate new technologies and emerging risks.
The planned policy reviews are also intended to clarify institutional responsibilities and improve cooperation between government departments and other agencies involved in cybersecurity.
Technology company Huawei is supporting the sensitisation programme as part of broader efforts to promote digital skills, cybersecurity awareness and links between education and industry.
Adam Lone, Huawei Kenya’s director responsible for policy and partnerships, said the company had worked with government agencies for several years on cybersecurity capacity building and public awareness.
He said Huawei had entered into partnership agreements with government institutions, including the Communications Authority and the Ministry of ICT, to support activities in the sector.
The current campaign, he said, was among the company’s most extensive grassroots engagements, with teams visiting TVET institutions and universities across more than 20 counties over a three week period.
The visits are intended to reach students, lecturers and other stakeholders in different regions, exposing them to cyber threats while providing information about training and employment opportunities.
Lone said the programme was also an opportunity to build lasting relationships between technology companies and training institutions, ensuring that cybersecurity knowledge continued to reach young people beyond the awareness campaign.
He said the collaboration was important because cybersecurity threats were increasing globally, with potentially serious consequences for individuals, businesses and institutions.
Although he did not provide figures on Kenya’s cybercrime losses, Lone said collective action among government agencies, industry and the public was necessary to prevent incidents and minimise their impact.
He also encouraged students to participate in Huawei’s ICT competition, which offers opportunities for skills development, professional exposure and recognition at national, regional and global levels.
According to Lone, participants can benefit from training, prizes and internship opportunities, while successful teams may progress to international competitions, including global finals in China.
He said Kenyan students had previously performed strongly in the competition, and the company hoped more participants would emerge from the ongoing initiative.
Beyond protecting users from online threats, the programme seeks to position cybersecurity as a potential career path for young people seeking employment in the digital economy.
Dr Koyabe said many young people were interested in entering the field but lacked information about where to begin, the qualifications required and the skills employers expected.
He said TVET institutions offered an important entry point because of their emphasis on practical training and their potential to connect learners with industry.
He identified closer collaboration between training institutions and private companies as necessary to ensure that curricula reflected market demands and graduates acquired relevant workplace skills.
Such partnerships could also help institutions retain technical knowledge, expose students to professionals already working in the sector and create clearer pathways from training to employment.
Dr Muoria similarly urged trainees to explore careers in security operations, network security, information security, data protection and risk management.
She said cybersecurity skills would be increasingly valuable as organisations relied more heavily on digital platforms to conduct business and deliver services.
Kaira said the State Department for TVET was committed to producing graduates capable of responding to evolving technological challenges and meeting the needs of employers locally and internationally.
He described technical institutions as central to the department’s mandate, given their role in equipping trainees with practical competencies for the workplace.
The Kiambu engagement forms part of a broader national effort to build a digitally informed population while strengthening the connection between education, industry and emerging employment opportunities.
As the campaign moves towards the main Cyber Week event in Nairobi later this month, its organisers hope the sensitisation sessions will encourage more Kenyans to adopt safer online practices and motivate young people to pursue careers that will help secure the country’s digital future.
