Kenya Leads Charge to Strengthen Regional Competition Watchdogs Amid Rising Digital Market Threats
By Gladys Yator|
Kenya is stepping up regional trade competition. This week, the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) took center stage in a regional push to sharpen Africa’s competition enforcement tools.
“Market studies are vital because they generate insights that help craft smarter government interventions, unlock market access, and create conditions for businesses and consumers to thrive,” said CAK Director-General David Kemei, reinforcing the need for joint learning and action.
With the digital economy reshaping markets, and mergers growing more complex, the Authority is rallying its regional peers to act fast and act smart.
In partnership with the COMESA Competition Commission (CCC) and the East African Community Competition Authority (EACCA), CAK spearheaded a week-long series of strategic workshops to boost the skills of case officers across East and Southern Africa.
The action kicked off Monday in Nairobi with a Case Handlers Workshop hosted by the CCC. Enforcement officers from across the continent exchanged ideas on tackling exclusionary practices and conducting impactful market studies.
Running in tandem was the African Competition Forum (ACF) Advocacy and Research Working Group Workshop, co-chaired by CAK and South Africa’s Competition Commission.
Delegates from Comoros, Nigeria, DRC, Libya, Sudan, Tunisia, Madagascar, Angola, Egypt, and Kenya tackled key topics—abuse of dominance, digital markets, and the growing urgency of consumer protection.
By Wednesday, the discussions moved to Mombasa, where the Authority joined the EACCA’s Case Handlers’ Workshop. This time, the focus was on the complex dynamics of cross-border mergers and acquisitions—and how they influence regional integration.
Kemei urged participants to raise the bar: “Tirelessly sensitize stakeholders, proactively publish decision rationales, seek feedback, build networks, and stay in step with emerging regulatory threats.”
He also spotlighted a new frontier in enforcement: data. “Big Data now plays a critical role in merger analysis, particularly in the digital economy. Traditional metrics like revenue and assets no longer tell the full story. Data can be weaponized to foreclose markets and stifle competition.”
Kemei called on regulators to build technical capacity and keep a watchful eye on stealth tactics: “Let’s be alert to creeping and killer acquisitions that slip through the cracks, even under our watch.”
As Africa’s economic landscape evolves, Kenya isn’t just responding, it’s leading.
