Businesses in East Africa are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to make their companies operate faster and more efficiently and to uncover new opportunities.
However, Brian Kiplagat, head of cybersecurity at NTT DATA East Africa, is warning that AI is also supercharging attacks.
“We’re seeing a surge in cyberattacks where AI is used to identify and exploit vulnerabilities at unprecedented speed,” Kiplagat told a roundtable meeting of industry leaders in Nairobi, according to the website CIO Africa. “Many organisations have strong on-premise controls but struggle with visibility and governance in cloud and remote work environments. This exposes critical gaps that attackers are increasingly targeting.”
Cybercriminals can use AI to steal passwords and create more convincing phishing emails to trick users. Hackers use AI-powered malware to get past traditional virus protection software.
“AI enables incredible opportunities, but it’s also changing the threat landscape. We’re dealing with malware generated by AI, deepfake scams, and autonomous systems that can be hijacked,” said Kelvin Mugambi, technical solutions architect at Cisco for Sub-Saharan Africa. “This calls for a radical shift in how we protect digital infrastructure. We must secure systems that can think and act, not just react.”
Mugambi said only 4% of organizations worldwide are considered “mature” in cybersecurity readiness, while 86% experienced AI-related security incidents in the past year. The industry leaders also stressed that the continent faces a shortage of cybersecurity professionals.
In an essay for EB.net, Boland Lithebe, security lead for Accenture in South Africa, said companies and governments need to use AI as part of their defenses. He noted that banks use AI to detect fraudulent transactions in real time. He said AI-powered threat intelligence platforms can help automate responses to cyberattacks, improve reaction time and limit damage.
“Just as AI enables cybercriminals, it can also strengthen defences,” Lithebe wrote. “AI-driven threat detection systems can analyse patterns, flag anomalies, and predict attacks before they happen. In a country like South Africa, where cybersecurity skills are in short supply, AI could play a crucial role in bridging the gap.”