Smartcomply enters Kenya with AI, cybersecurity push for digital trust

Smartcomply, an African-built digital trust and cybersecurity technology company, is making its formal entry into the Kenyan market with a high-level executive breakfast in Nairobi focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and regulatory trust, as competition and cyber risks intensify across East Africa’s digital economy.

The company said it will host ‘The Secure Horizon Executive Breakfast’ on February 26, 2026, at the Radisson Blu in Nairobi, convening senior leaders from banks, fintechs, technology firms, regulators, industry associations and cybersecurity organisations for closed-door discussions on how institutions can strengthen digital resilience in an era of accelerating AI adoption.

The invitation-only event marks Smartcomply’s first major platform in Kenya and signals its broader ambition to support East Africa’s financial and digital infrastructure through technology deployment, ecosystem collaboration and capacity building.

According to the company, the forum is designed to move executive conversations beyond compliance-driven risk management towards proactive governance models that integrate artificial intelligence, data protection and cyber defence into core business strategy.

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Gbemisola Osunrinde, Smartcomply chief executive officer, told BusinessDay that, “The Secure Horizon is designed as a leadership forum for institutions that are actively shaping Africa’s digital economy. As AI adoption accelerates and cyber risks become business-critical, organisations must rethink how they govern technology, protect data and build trust at scale. Our goal is to create a credible, ecosystem-driven space for practical, future-facing conversations that help leaders secure sustainable digital growth.”

A central feature of the event will be the launch of a new desktop research report titled “AI & the Cyber Frontier: Securing East Africa’s Digital Future.” The research examines how rising AI use, increasingly sophisticated cyber threats and evolving regulatory expectations are reshaping digital trust across East Africa’s financial services and technology sectors.

Smartcomply said the report draws on insights from leading figures within Africa’s cybersecurity ecosystem and is intended to support decision-making by boards, regulators and senior executives navigating the region’s rapidly digitising economy.

The programme will include keynote addresses, a research-led panel discussion, a fireside dialogue with regulators and an industry recognition segment highlighting organisations contributing to stronger cyber resilience and digital trust in Kenya’s financial ecosystem.

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Speakers are expected from across Africa’s regulatory and security landscape, including senior officials from the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), the Nigeria Police National Cybercrime Centre, as well as executives from financial institutions and technology companies operating across the continent.

Smartcomply said attendance has been deliberately limited to senior decision-makers, including chief executives, chief information and technology officers, risk and compliance heads, cybersecurity leaders, fintech founders and policymakers, to preserve peer-level engagement and practical dialogue.

The Nairobi event is backed by Smartcomply’s technology partners, including Seequre, Adhere and Oculus.

The move comes as East Africa’s financial services sector faces growing exposure to cybercrime, data breaches and regulatory scrutiny, driven by rapid digitalisation, mobile-first banking and the expanding use of AI across credit, payments and customer engagement.

By anchoring its Kenya market entry around executive dialogue and research, Smartcomply is positioning itself as a digital trust partner rather than a standalone cybersecurity vendor, with a focus on long-term institutional resilience and governance.

For Smartcomply, the Secure Horizon forum represents both a market signal and a strategic foothold, placing Nairobi at the centre of its East Africa expansion as the region grapples with how to balance innovation, security and trust in the next phase of its digital growth.