Nairobi, March 7, 2025 – The Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) Kenya, in partnership with the Anti-Counterfeit Network (ACN) Uganda, has launched the Bleep App, an AI-driven authentication tool designed to tackle counterfeit trade in East Africa. The app, powered by Cypheme’s advanced AI technology, provides real-time product verification, empowering consumers, enforcement agencies, and businesses to authenticate good instantly and report counterfeit products.

ACA’s Executive Director, Dr. Robi Mbugua Njoroge, hailed the app as a milestone in the fight against illicit trade, emphasizing its role in enhancing enforcement, consumer protection, and market surveillance. ACN Chairman Fred Muwema underscored the importance of regional collaboration, noting that "Counterfeit trade is borderless. This
app represents the future of enforcement—technology-led, intelligence-driven, and consumer-empowered."

Counterfeit goods continue to pose a significant threat to the East African economy, with Kenya losing over KSh 100 billion annually due to illicit trade. The Bleep App builds on Kenya’s ongoing IP protection efforts, integrating AI, blockchain, and big data to disrupt counterfeit networks.

ACA and ACN are calling on businesses, consumers, and policymakers to embrace the technology, urging stronger brand protection, public awareness, and regional enforcement efforts to combat counterfeiting effectively.

With the Bleep App, East Africa is taking a bold step towards a counterfeit-free future.