NAIROBI, Kenya, May 15 – Global cybersecurity companies, AI innovators and cloud infrastructure firms will converge in Nairobi next week for the inaugural AI EVERYTHING KENYA X GITEX KENYA conference as East Africa steps up efforts to strengthen digital resilience amid rising cyber threats.
The event, organised by inD in partnership with the Office of the Special Envoy on Technology of the Republic of Kenya, comes at a time when businesses across the region are increasingly prioritising cybersecurity as digital adoption accelerates.
According to PwC’s East Africa Digital Trust Insights survey, 74 percent of businesses in the region now rank cyber risks as a top priority, above global averages, reflecting growing concern over cyberattacks targeting governments, banks, businesses and critical infrastructure.
The summit will take place at the Sarit Expo Centre on May 19 before shifting to the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) for a three-day expo and conference running from May 20 to 21.
The forum is expected to bring together policymakers, security experts, fintech players, cloud providers and artificial intelligence firms to discuss AI-powered cyber defence, threat intelligence and autonomous security systems aimed at securing Africa’s rapidly expanding digital economy.
Among the headline exhibitors will be cybersecurity company Kaspersky, which plans to showcase AI-powered technologies designed to automate threat detection and improve incident response.
“Sub-Saharan Africa is an important strategic region for Kaspersky, and the company is working to solidify its regional posture by reaching out to new clients and partners,” said Chris Norton, General Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa at Kaspersky.
“One concrete example is the National Bank of Rwanda which Kaspersky empowers with advanced cybersecurity solutions and threat intelligence, ensuring their resilience against evolving cyber threats.”
Cybersecurity firm Fortinet will also participate, highlighting the growing role of cybersecurity in supporting digital transformation across East Africa.
“Artificial intelligence is no longer an experimental technology,” said Imran Chaudhrey, Fortinet’s Country Manager for East Africa.
“It is transforming industries and unlocking new opportunities across every sector, and cybersecurity must keep pace.”
Kenyan cybersecurity and managed services company Magtech Solutions will showcase solutions focused on cyber threat intelligence, 24-hour monitoring and incident response services.
Its Chief Executive Officer Murithi Magiri said AI innovation was also accelerating cyber risks.
“In an AI-driven world, resilience is not optional,” he said.
Cybersecurity company Elytis together with CrowdStrike will also demonstrate AI-driven threat intelligence technologies aimed at helping organisations detect and respond to sophisticated cyberattacks.
The event will feature several cybersecurity-focused discussions, including a roundtable on “AI Cyber Offense & Defense” examining how artificial intelligence is reshaping cyber warfare and defence systems.
Another high-level session titled “Autonomous Cyber Defence: Securing Systems That Think for Themselves” will explore the rise of intelligent security systems capable of identifying and responding to cyber threats in real time.
Organisers say the conference is expected to position Kenya as a major regional hub for AI innovation, cybersecurity and digital transformation as governments and businesses accelerate investments in fintech, cloud computing and digital public services across Africa.
