By Morris Macharia Musyoka
The rise of digitalization and digital economies is shaping a dynamic digital panorama throughout Africa. Software program engineers play a pivotal position on this transformation, driving economies by way of the design, improvement, testing, and upkeep of software program functions that affect varied sides of life, equivalent to agriculture, healthcare, training and even banking. It’s on the identical ambition that the World Financial institution’s Digital Financial system for Africa Initiative goals to make sure digital enablement for each particular person, enterprise, and authorities in Africa by 2030, aligning with the African Union’s Digital Transformation Technique for Africa.
Nevertheless, as governments more and more shift in direction of digital service supply and participation in initiatives just like the African Continental Free Commerce Space (AfCFTA), cybersecurity turns into a essential concern. Specializing in Kenya, with a present web penetration of 32.7 p.c and a projected important improve in web customers by 2028, the nation should tackle cybersecurity points. The success of Mpesa, Safaricom’s cellular cash service, with a formidable 2,600 transactions per second, underscores Kenya’s prominence within the digital world.
This digital transformation extends past the telecommunication and monetary sector to the general public sector, the place the Kenyan authorities has digitized a considerable portion of its providers by way of the e-citizen platform, providing 14,000 providers. Even academic establishments, historically immune to technological integration, have embraced digital instruments, emphasizing their significance throughout occasions just like the COVID-19 pandemic.
The widespread use of cellular web has facilitated on-line buying, with classes like style and electronics dominating the area. Social media has change into a dominant mode of communication, and even courting apps, as soon as thought of Western, are gaining acceptance within the nation.
Behind these optimistic tendencies, nonetheless, looms a big risk – cybersecurity assaults.
In 2023, Kenya skilled 860 million cyberattacks, rating among the many high three most focused nations in Africa, in response to the Communication Authority (CA) of Kenya. In January of that 12 months, CA recognized sectors equivalent to monetary providers, healthcare, training, vitality, utilities, and authorities businesses had been significantly focused. In July similar 12 months, over 5,000 authorities providers by way of e-citizen had been paralyzed because of a cyber-attack by hackers figuring out themselves as “Nameless Sudan,” thankfully with none reported knowledge loss, in response to the Cupboard Secretary Ministry of Data, Communications & the Digital Financial system, Eliud Owalo.
Addressing challenges within the IT sector, particularly cybersecurity, necessitates a sturdy response. This includes not solely implementing but additionally revising, monitoring, and evaluating cybersecurity insurance policies, frameworks, and laws. It requires a deal with growing cybersecurity abilities and fostering collaboration between the non-public sector and authorities.
Kenya, being a frontrunner in web utilization in Africa, should improve its cybersecurity capabilities. This contains selling in-country developed cybersecurity specialists by way of abilities audits in collaboration with the federal government and personal sector. Establishing a cybersecurity skilled certification/accreditation framework beneath the Nationwide Data, Communication, and Know-how coverage is a viable possibility to control the area.
Collaboration between the non-public sector and authorities is essential, not solely in coaching and capability constructing but additionally in benchmarking and resourcing establishments for a safe our on-line world.
The scarcity of skilled IT specialists, significantly in cybersecurity, exposes each the federal government and the non-public sector to important dangers, together with knowledge loss, unlawful knowledge mining, and useful resource depletion. This emphasizes the necessity for curriculum re-evaluation to satisfy the evolving wants of the IT panorama.
As Kenya continues its position as a digital chief in Africa, recognizing the interconnectedness of software program engineering and cybersecurity is essential. The success story in digital transformation needs to be accompanied by a parallel dedication to fortify the nation’s cyber defences. By means of collaborative efforts, coverage enhancements, abilities improvement, and an up to date academic curriculum, Kenya can navigate the dynamic digital period with resilience and safety.
Morris Macharia Musyoka is software program engineer and techpreneur
