NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 28 – Cybersecurity has emerged as the most significant growth risk facing banks in East Africa, even as digital banking adoption continues to accelerate across the region, according to PwC’s 2025 Eastern Africa Banking Survey.
The report shows that 88 per cent of banking executives view cyber threats as a serious long-term challenge, with four in five banks planning to increase investment in cybersecurity and data privacy to protect customers and systems.
The findings, which cover Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Mauritius, come as lenders continue to shift customer activity to digital channels. About 40 percent of banks are already processing more than three-quarters of customer transactions electronically, highlighting the speed of digital adoption across the region.
PwC Partner and Financial Services Leader Richard Njoroge said the proportion of banks handling the majority of transactions digitally is expected to rise to 66 per cent within the next three years, a trend that will further heighten the urgency of strengthening cyber risk management.
