The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has allowed the Nairobi-based arm of Indian multinational Zoho to provide electronic signature services in the country, intensifying competition in the space.
The software as a service (SAAS) company got the CA’s nod this week to roll out Zoho Sign on the Kenyan market, allowing its clientele to digitally sign contracts without the need for paperwork. This is a step closer to ending the oligopolistic nature of the digital signature service business, which so far has only four licensed providers in Kenya.
The CA approval follows Zoho’s partnership with Tendaworld, one of the four firms currently licensed by CA to operate as electronic certification service providers , allowing it to build over its certification system. Other firms are Evrotrust, the ICT Authority and India’s Emudhra Technologies.
“With this, Kenyan businesses can execute digital signatures for contracts and agreements, compliant with both Kenyan and global laws,” said Zoho’s Kenya country manager Veerakumar Natarajan.
Electronic certification service business is increasingly picking pace across the globe as businesses prioritise paperless processes but its uptake in Kenya has been relatively slow.
The service allows documents signed digitally –without the need for printing or scanning – to be electronically certified as genuine, making them legally binding and capable of being presented in a court of law or during a legal or public inquest.
“With respect to Kenya, not many people use this service as we’re still on paper and most people would rather print the paper and sign it,” noted Mr Natarajan.
“But potentially, it’s very huge, there are a lot of places that people can use it. I believe with the CA approval; we can take it to the big enterprises and try to make it as much a normal practice as possible.”
Zoho entered the Kenyan market in May last year, when it launched a physical office in the country. It has since increased its employee base in Nairobi by 33 percent and more than doubled partner companies.
