NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya loses an estimated Sh92 billion every year to digital piracy, with the illegal trade also denying the government about Sh17 billion in annual tax revenue, Information, Communications and the Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo has said.
Kabogo warned that digital piracy continues to undermine Kenya’s creative and technology sectors while exposing consumers to cyber threats such as malware, online fraud and identity theft.
Speaking after receiving the report of the National Steering Committee on Digital Piracy, established following the inaugural National Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Digital Piracy held in March, Kabogo described the findings as a wake-up call for stronger enforcement and public awareness.
“The findings are significant. Digital piracy costs Kenya approximately Sh92 billion every year, about Sh252 million every day. It denies the Exchequer an estimated Sh17 billion annually in taxes,” Kabogo said.
According to the report, piracy disproportionately affects musicians, filmmakers, authors, journalists, software developers and sports broadcasters by denying them legitimate income from their intellectual property.
Kabogo noted that digital piracy has increasingly become linked to transnational organised crime, adding that consumers who access pirated content often expose themselves to cyber risks, including malicious software, identity theft and financial fraud.
He said addressing the challenge could create or sustain more than 50,000 quality jobs across Kenya’s creative and digital economy.
To strengthen enforcement, the report recommends the establishment of an Inter-Agency Digital Piracy Enforcement Framework coordinated by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy.
The proposed framework will bring together the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO), the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) and the Copyright Tribunal to coordinate action against digital piracy.
Kabogo said the framework is intended to ensure copyright infringement cases are handled more efficiently, with particular attention given to protecting live sports broadcasts, premium digital content and tackling repeat commercial-scale offenders.
He, however, stressed that enforcement measures would be implemented within the law and in full compliance with constitutional protections.
“The framework contains strong safeguards. Every enforcement action will be subject to due process, consistent with the Constitution’s protection of both intellectual property and freedom of expression,” he said.
The Cabinet Secretary announced that the ministry would immediately begin implementing key recommendations contained in the report, including a nationwide public awareness campaign to educate Kenyans on the economic and security consequences of digital piracy.
He also said the government would develop a National Policy on Digital Piracy through a multi-stakeholder process while working with the Attorney General’s Office and the Kenya Copyright Board to align proposed legal reforms with the Copyright and Related Rights Bill, 2026, which is currently under public consultation.
Kabogo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting creators while ensuring consumers have greater access to affordable and legitimate digital content.
“The government will continue to support creators, enforce the law against those who profit from infringement, and work with industry to make legal content more accessible and affordable,” he said.
The Cabinet Secretary also commended the National Steering Committee on Digital Piracy, chaired by Waweru Kimani with Roy Gitahi as vice chairperson, for completing its report within the 100-day Rapid Results Initiative timeline.
