Kenya and Tanzania have been ranked among the top countries from Eastern Africa with improved cybersecurity according to the 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index released by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

According to the report, the two countries have been placed among 46 others in the highest category, Tier 1, which clusters countries that are ranked with the best cybersecurity models globally.

Kenya now competes with global cybersecurity giants among them Australia, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States, Sweden, Japan and others.

This year's rankings were done along five key pillars which include Legal Measures, Technical Measures, Organizational Measures, Capacity Development, and Cooperation and then aggregated into an overall score.

Rwanda has also been listed in the same category as a country from Eastern Africa.

Other nations from Africa that made it to the list include Egypt, Ghana and Morocco.

This lies on the backdrop of the move by Kenya to leverage on technology as President William Ruto recently signed a KSh63 billion ($485 million concessional development funding deal with Korea in June.

President Ruto said the project will boost the country’s digital ecosystem, a key government initiative aimed at expanding digital and creative economy opportunities for the Kenyan youth.

“This project will provide an excellent digital media and entertainment ecosystem for research, training and the propagation of new technologies,” he said.

Likewise, Tanzania has leveraged the strong legislation, partnerships, and cybersecurity infrastructure they have acquired under the leadership of President Samia Suluhu.