Kenya’s Data Protection Office Fines Three More Fintechs for Privacy Violations

Kenya’s Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) has fined three additional digital lenders—Lipa Later, Tala, and FairKash+—Ksh7 million each for unlawful data harvesting and failure to obtain informed consent. The June 2024 ruling found the firms scraped users’ SMS, call logs, and contacts without clear disclosure. ODPC ordered immediate data deletion and mandated annual privacy audits. The fines bring the total enforcement actions to five firms in 2024, signaling Kenya’s serious commitment to digital rights. Fintechs now have 60 days to comply with the Data Protection (General) Regulations, 2023.