NAIROBI, Kenya – The National Assembly has approved the National Cybersecurity Agency Order, 2026, which establishes the National Cybersecurity Agency.
President William Ruto issued the order pursuant to the provisions of the State Corporations Act (Cap. 446).
Why govt established National Cybersecurity Agency
The agency will be mandated to regulate and coordinate cybersecurity and strengthen the protection of Kenya’s digital infrastructure.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said this will enable the country to safeguard its critical information infrastructure for national security.
“We welcome parliament’s approval of the order. The establishment of the Agency marks a significant step in Kenya’s efforts to secure its rapidly expanding digital ecosystem and safeguard critical information infrastructure that supports national security, public service delivery, economic activity and the daily lives of millions of Kenyans,” statement from the Ministry read in part.
Over the last decade, Kenya has emerged as one of Africa’s leading digital economies, driven by advancements in mobile money, digital financial services, e-government platforms, telecommunications, health information systems, education technology and online commerce.
While these developments have expanded opportunities for innovation, investment and service delivery, they have also increased exposure to cyber threats targeting both public and private sector systems.
Cybercrime, ransomware attacks, online fraud, identity theft, malicious software, data breaches, misinformation campaigns and attacks on critical digital infrastructure continue to pose growing risks to national security, economic stability and public confidence in digital services.
The Ministry noted that the Agency will provide a coordinated national framework for preventing, detecting, responding to and recovering from cyber threats.
Functions of National Cybersecurity Agency
It will serve as Kenya’s central technical and regulatory institution on cybersecurity matters and will work closely with Government agencies, security institutions, regulators, industry players, academia, development partners and international cybersecurity networks.
The Agency also formulate and oversees the implementation of national cybersecurity strategies across the public and private sectors, audits and certifies the cybersecurity resilience of designated critical information infrastructure and manages the National Cybersecurity Operations Centre.
It will also support sector-based cybersecurity operations centres, conduct technical assessments of digital networks, identify emerging vulnerabilities, issue technical advisories, and coordinate national responses to cybersecurity incidents.
It will establish a Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence to promote research, innovation, skills development and the creation of locally developed cybersecurity solutions.
The Agency will lead efforts to address the country’s cybersecurity skills gap through professional certification programmes, specialised training and technical capacity-building initiatives.
It will serve as a platform for collaboration between government, industry, academia and international partners to strengthen resilience across all sectors of the economy.
It will also facilitate information sharing, promote best practices and support the harmonisation of cybersecurity standards and frameworks.
The Agency’s Board will bring together representation from key national institutions, including Internal Security, the National Treasury, Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, the Office of the Attorney-General, the Kenya Defence Forces, the National Police Service, the National Intelligence Service and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, alongside representatives from academia and the private sector.
Interior CS urged public institutions, private sector organisations, academic institutions and all stakeholders to work closely with the National Cybersecurity Agency in building a secure, resilient and trusted digital ecosystem for the benefit of all Kenyans.
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