Kenyan SIM cards registration deadline today
Today is the deadline for Kenyans to register SIM cards.
Kenya has announced that it will be deactivating unregistered SIM cards in a bid to combat domestic cybercrime and fraud. Home to a booming tech industry, Kenya has attracted high levels of cybercriminals, losing $295m to cybercrime in 2018.
Kenya has grappled with numerous cases of SIM card swap scams, a relatively modern form of identity theft, where individuals register an existing number on a new SIM card in order to gain access to bank accounts through mobile banking apps. Although the process of registering Kenyan SIM cards is intended to prevent SIM card-related fraud, individuals are required to submit photos of themselves and their national IDs which contain sensitive information like one’s legal name, date of birth, and national identification number.
Kenya continues to struggle with the standardization of data management and legislation around data privacy. As Kenya’s tech industry continues to grow, it will need help to cut down on international cybercrime. In the medium term, expect Kenya to look to the US as they continue holding cyber dialogues in pursuit of effectively handling cyber-attacks.
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