CA resolves 82 per cent of ICT consumer complaints as Network Quality and Fraud Top Grievances

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) successfully resolved 82 per cent of consumer complaints escalated to the regulator during the fourth quarter of the 2025/2026 fiscal year, underscoring its commitment to protecting consumers and promoting accountability across Kenya's communications sector.

According to the Authority’s latest Consumer Complaints Report covering April to June 2026, the Authority received 670 escalated consumer complaints, of which 548 were successfully resolved, while the remaining 122 cases are under active regulatory follow-up. The complaints had been referred to the Authority after consumers were unable to obtain satisfactory resolution from their respective service providers.

The report identifies telecommunications services as the largest source of complaints, accounting for 239 cases, followed by Digital Financial Services and Mobile Money (110), Cybercrime and Criminal Use of ICT Infrastructure (75), Broadcasting (42) and Postal and Courier Services (13). Consumer concerns also emerged around data privacy, misleading ICT promotions, and unfair trading practices, reflecting the evolving nature of consumer concerns in Kenya's increasingly digital economy.

While digital connectivity continues to drive economic growth, innovation, and financial inclusion, it has also created opportunities for increasingly sophisticated fraud targeting consumers. The regulator noted that the increasing convergence between telecommunications and digital financial services has heightened risks associated with SIM replacement fraud, identity theft, and unauthorized access to consumer accounts. Billing and charging issues dominated data service complaints, while consumers also reported delays in service provision, service interruptions, poor quality service network accessibility challenges.

In the broadcasting sector, consumers reported concerns over content standards, frequency interference, signal interruptions, and billing, while postal and courier complaints largely centered on delayed deliveries and lost parcels.

The Authority also received complaints regarding type approval of communications equipment such as faulty modems, routers and other communications equipment that failed to meet technical standards, promoting renewed emphasis on enforcement of type approval requirements for customers premises equipment.

Looking ahead, the regulator said it will prioritize improving network reliability, strengthening safeguards against fraud and cybercrime, protecting consumer data and privacy, and enhancing service provider accountability as Kenya's digital economy continues to expand.

Consumers whose complaints remain unresolved by service providers are encouraged to escalate them to the Authority for regulatory intervention.