East Africa SOC as a Service Market Size & Opportunities Analysis - Growth Strategies, Competitiveness, and Forecasts (2025 - 2032)

The East Africa Security Operations Center (SOC) as a Service market, valued at USD 67.8 million in 2024, is expected to grow at a robust CAGR of 8.3%, reaching USD 126.9 million by 2032. This growth is driven by a combination of factors, including the rising demand for digital transaction management, increasing cybersecurity concerns, and heightened government support for digital security measures in countries like Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi. As internet infrastructure and the adoption of connected devices expand in these emerging economies, the need for SOC as a service is escalating, particularly in sectors such as banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI).

The surge in cyberattacks and security breaches globally, alongside trends like Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) and remote work, is fueling demand for SOC solutions. Additionally, the increase in online transactions, driven by cloud computing and internet penetration, further emphasizes the need for robust security measures to safeguard sensitive data. This growing reliance on digital services and connected devices is propelling the adoption of SOC as a Service in East Africa.

Key Insights

Prevention services are the largest and fastest-growing category in the East African SOC as a service market, with a 50% market share in 2024. This growth is attributed to the rising cybersecurity threats like phishing and ransomware, particularly in East Africa's increasingly digitized economy. Prevention services such as vulnerability assessments, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), and firewalls are becoming critical for businesses to fortify defenses against cyber threats.

Fully managed services are expected to exhibit the highest growth rate of around 8.5% from 2025 to 2032. This demand is driven by the lack of skilled cybersecurity professionals and the high cost of establishing in-house SOCs. SMEs in East Africa, in particular, are turning to fully managed SOC services as an affordable, scalable solution for threat detection, incident response, and 24/7 monitoring.

Large enterprises represent the largest consumer segment, accounting for 75% of the market share in 2024. These organizations typically have complex networks and multiple revenue streams, requiring comprehensive cybersecurity solutions like SOC as a Service to protect sensitive data and IT infrastructure.

Endpoint security holds the largest market share (30%) and is also the fastest-growing segment. The rapid adoption of remote work, e-commerce, and digital banking is driving the increase in endpoint security demand, as mobile devices, laptops, and other endpoints become prime targets for cyberattacks like malware and ransomware.

The BFSI sector is the largest vertical user of SOC as a Service, holding 25% of the market share in 2024. With the financial sector being a major target for cybercriminals, the adoption of SOC as a Service is critical for protecting sensitive financial data and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Kenya leads the East African market, both in terms of market share and growth rate, with a CAGR of 8.8% during the forecast period. The country's strong adoption of SOC as a Service, especially in the BFSI, retail, IT, telecom, and healthcare industries, coupled with supportive data protection laws like the Data Protection Act 2019, is fueling this growth. The rise in cyberattacks, particularly in sectors like BFSI, is also driving the demand for SOC solutions in Kenya.

Cybersecurity breaches in Kenya have seen a significant rise, with a 16.5% increase in cyberattacks, reaching 1.1 billion incidents in Q2 2024, compared to the previous quarter. This growing threat is prompting the need for more robust cybersecurity infrastructure, further enhancing the demand for SOC as a Service.

The East African SOC market is highly fragmented, with global, regional, and local players offering competitive solutions. Key players include Dimension Data, Serianu Limited, Safaricom PLC, and Liquid Intelligent Technologies, which are focusing on expanding their cybersecurity services to meet the growing demand from both large enterprises and SMEs.

Recent developments include Dimension Data's rebranding to NTT Data in March 2024, as part of a global strategy to streamline its services and increase market presence in the MEA region. Additionally, Liquid Intelligent Technologies' acquisition of Cysiv MEA in March 2023 allowed the company to integrate Cysiv's expertise into its global cybersecurity offerings, further strengthening its position in the East African market.