By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
World of SoftwareWorld of SoftwareWorld of Software
  • News
  • Software
  • Mobile
  • Computing
  • Gaming
  • Videos
  • More
    • Gadget
    • Web Stories
    • Trending
    • Press Release
Search
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Copyright © All Rights Reserved. World of Software.
Reading: Next Wave: Kenya’s cybersecurity ‘talent gap’ is a hiring problem
Share
Sign In
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
World of SoftwareWorld of Software
Font ResizerAa
  • Software
  • Mobile
  • Computing
  • Gadget
  • Gaming
  • Videos
Search
  • News
  • Software
  • Mobile
  • Computing
  • Gaming
  • Videos
  • More
    • Gadget
    • Web Stories
    • Trending
    • Press Release
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Copyright © All Rights Reserved. World of Software.
World of Software > Computing > Next Wave: Kenya’s cybersecurity ‘talent gap’ is a hiring problem
Computing

Next Wave: Kenya’s cybersecurity ‘talent gap’ is a hiring problem

News Room
Last updated: 2025/07/07 at 3:08 AM
News Room Published 7 July 2025
Share
SHARE

First published O6 July, 2025


Kenya’s cybersecurity ‘talent gap’ is a hiring problem


Image: Pixbay


This week, my colleague Adonijah published a piece about how Kenya’s digital economy is expanding rapidly and how that growth has come with its own set of problems. Banks, telecom companies, and insurers are expanding their mobile-first services. Government services are also going online, and with that comes a sharper need for cybersecurity. The risks are growing, and so is the demand for talent that isn’t just there, or so we have been made to believe.

Kenya’s cybersecurity workforce gap is often framed as a supply problem, and the result, we’re told, is understaffed banks, overworked tech teams, slow response to incidents, and dangerous exposure to digital threats. But, this version of the story sidesteps a harder question: what if the problem isn’t that the talent doesn’t exist, but that hiring systems are too rigid and narrow, and too flawed to recognise it?

The dominant logic across these sectors (especially in banking, for this context) is that hiring cybersecurity professionals should be technical, standardised, and rigorous. Roles are posted with lengthy checklists that include multiple certifications, years of experience, and specialised areas of expertise. Interviews, if they happen at all, are modelled after global formats, usually by solving a puzzle on a whiteboard, proving you know complex algorithms, or passing a coding test under pressure. But few local candidates make it through these filters, not because they aren’t skilled, but because the format itself works to exclude them.

Next Wave continues after this ad.

cardtonic

It’s Upskill with Cardtonic season again. Applications for Upskill 3.0 are open

Now is your chance to win one of the 20 units of 2024 M4 MacBook Pro Laptops we are giving away. If you’re a techie in software engineering, design, data science, product management, and content creation, this is for you!


Find out more here!

Technical interviews often reward the ability to perform under artificial, time-pressured conditions, not real-world competence. I spoke with former college and high school classmates who work in banking, telecommunications, and big tech (Google and Microsoft). Before they were hired for these international roles, they admitted to being asked to solve sorting problems, tree traversals, and optimisation challenges they hardly face on the job.

They were expected to write perfect code on a whiteboard or shared doc, from memory, without syntax help, debugging tools, or a collaborative setup. There’s an unspoken belief that this is how you separate “real” engineers from the rest. But what it actually filters for is who studied computer science in the right way or who enjoys brain teasers under surveillance. It is something that just doesn’t work.

This problem is shaping how local employers screen tech talent. In Nairobi, technical interviews are increasingly mimicking this pattern, especially in firms that want to compete with or supply to international partners. And in the process, they’re weeding out strong candidates who think differently, communicate differently, or just haven’t had the luxury to rehearse interview puzzles for weeks.

I have been told by the same group that certifications are treated as mandatory in most Kenyan cybersecurity job listings (I now understand why they are such a big deal on LinkedIn). Yet a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification costs more than most entry-level IT workers make in several months.

Next Wave continues after this ad.

Alltalentz

All Talentz has launched Nigeria’s first nationwide tech hackathon, with as media partner. Interested teams should register by July 4, 2025. The event runs from July 14 to August 23 in Lagos, and winners get ₦10M, a TechCrunch Disrupt trip, and opportuninty fr jobs. All applicants will join a global tech talent pool.


Register here!

And even those who invest in it still find themselves screened out if they lack the ‘right’ work history or can’t demonstrate fluency in jargon during interviews. Meanwhile, there are thousands of capable IT professionals, including network engineers and support staff who’ve spent years in adjacent roles, responding to incidents, managing infrastructure, or securing systems informally. They’re already doing half the job, but because hiring filters are rigid, they never even get interviewed.

Candidates who struggle with high-pressure environments tend to flounder in traditional interview formats. A close friend who worked in a software development firm in Uganda described how a colleague with a shy streak consistently failed interviews, despite being easily the most talented developer they had ever worked with. His mind worked differently, but the process never made space for that.

In other cases, some say that interviews are adversarial, especially for Kenyan banks. You’re asked to perform a trick the interviewer already knows the answer to, under judgment, with little real collaboration or feedback. And if you ask for clarification or go off-script, you risk triggering visible frustration. Some interviewers even nitpick syntax during whiteboard sessions, defeating the point of the tool as a sketchpad for thinking.

Next Wave continues after this ad.

moonshot

Africa’s tech ecosystem is alive with ambition, and Moonshot 2025 is catalysing it into unstoppable momentum. Our theme, “Building Momentum,” honours past builders and calls for doubling down on systems, capital, policies, and partnerships.

Expect new formats, deeper conversations, and broader voices. This is where vision becomes action. If you’re building, funding, or enabling Africa’s innovation economy, join us October 15–16 in Lagos. Early Bird tickets are 20% off! Let’s build the future, faster, smarter, together.


Reserver your spot!

What’s most concerning is that this interview culture—while claiming to be objective—is riddled with bias. Candidates who don’t live in Nairobi or didn’t go to JKUAT or Strathmore are less likely to be taken seriously. And because the process rewards fluency in academic algorithms and fast recall over real-world problem-solving, it disproportionately advantages younger candidates who recently studied those topics or those who have the spare time to grind interview prep. People with practical business experience, like delivering on projects, managing security under pressure, or navigating messy legacy systems, are penalised because they can’t whiteboard a binary search tree in 20 minutes.

This is how Kenya has ended up with a false perception of a shortage. A talent pool that exists but is largely invisible to current hiring filters. Employers say they can’t find people, but what they often mean is they can’t find people who fit a very narrow image of what skilled looks like. And in chasing that image, they’re letting real, practical, trainable talent walk out the door.

Kenn Abuya

Senior Reporter

Thank you for reading this far. Feel free to email kenn[at]bigcabal.com, with your thoughts about this edition of NextWave. Or just click reply to share your thoughts and feedback.


We’d love to hear from you

Psst! Down here!

Thanks for reading today’s Next Wave. Please share. Or subscribe if someone shared it to you here for free to get fresh perspectives on the progress of digital innovation in Africa every Sunday.

As always feel free to email a reply or response to this essay. I enjoy reading those emails a lot.

TC Daily newsletter is out daily (Mon – Fri) brief of all the technology and business stories you need to know. Get it in your inbox each weekday at 7 AM (WAT).

Follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay engaged in our real-time conversations on tech and innovation in Africa.

If you liked this edition of Next Wave, please share with your friends. And feel free to reply with thoughts and feedback. We welcome those.

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
Share
What do you think?
Love0
Sad0
Happy0
Sleepy0
Angry0
Dead0
Wink0
Previous Article New research reveals potential API ‘security crisis’ – UKTN
Next Article New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay Connected

248.1k Like
69.1k Follow
134k Pin
54.3k Follow

Latest News

These are Prime Day TV deals I’m looking out for
Gadget
Prime Day Deals Arrive for AirPods Pro 2 at $159.99 and AirPods Max at $449.99
News
Love Island USA’s Bell-A slams ex-friend Cierra for ‘hurtful’ racial slur
News
TornadoVM 1.1.1 Released For Java Programming Of Heterogeneous Hardware
Computing

You Might also Like

Computing

TornadoVM 1.1.1 Released For Java Programming Of Heterogeneous Hardware

1 Min Read
Computing

More than half of batteries could be produced by recycled lithium · TechNode

1 Min Read
Computing

How AI Personalizes Insurance for Today’s Small Business Owners

0 Min Read
Computing

8 Ways to Scavenge Orbital Debris and Kessler Syndrome | HackerNoon

19 Min Read
//

World of Software is your one-stop website for the latest tech news and updates, follow us now to get the news that matters to you.

Quick Link

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Advertise
  • Contact

Topics

  • Computing
  • Software
  • Press Release
  • Trending

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

World of SoftwareWorld of Software
Follow US
Copyright © All Rights Reserved. World of Software.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?