Kenya has become the first African country to ban future importation, assembly, and sale of all phones and tablets without USB Type-C ports, joining a growing global push to standardise charging technology and reduce electronic waste.

Starting March 24, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) will not clear such devices for the local market, and anyone found producing or selling them faces fines or a jail term.

The CA has exempted phone and tablet shipments already at sea, at the Mombasa port, and in the domestic market, which means it will take several years for the country to wipe out the non-compliant devices.

How is USB-C different from other connectors?

The Universal Serial Bus (USB)-C or USB Type C is a modern charging standard produced in August 2014, whose connector can be plugged in either way up.

It replaced Type A and Type B, previously used to classify USB connectors. Type-A is the rectangular host which goes into a PC, while the B-type connector goes to the peripheral device, such as Micro-USB, common on Android phones, and Mini-USB used in older cameras.

Unlike the predecessors, which were generally one-way, non-reversible, and supported lower power/data speeds, USB-C delivers high power up to 240 watts and fast data transfer up to 40 gigabits per second across devices like phones, laptops, and tablets.

It is becoming the global industry standard and has been adopted for devices such as external drives, keyboards, and mice. USB-C also replaced Apple’s Lightning connector, used for iPhone 14s, ninth-generation iPads, and their older models.

Why is Kenya mandating USB-C?

The new policy primarily aims to cut electronic waste; it seeks to reduce the environmental impact caused by the often-discarded millions of chargers sold with new devices. Having a common charging standard enhances interoperability by reducing the number of chargers consumers need for every electronic device.

The CA has also cited safety reasons and the need to align with a global standard, reducing reliance on outdated systems such as micro-USB and proprietary connectors.

The move mirrors the European Union’s Common Charger Directive, which took effect in December 2024.

Why did the EU mandate USB-C?

In addition to cutting e-waste and increasing consumer convenience, the EU mandated the unbundling of charger sales from the sale of the electronic device to save consumers money on unnecessary charger purchases.

The bloc also wanted to prevent manufacturers from unfairly limiting charging speeds by ensuring that fast-charging capabilities are consistent across brands.

How does Kenya’s rule compare to other jurisdictions?

For the EU, the Type-C requirement covers mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, handheld videogame consoles, headphones, headsets, portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, earbuds, and laptops.

Kenya’s rule affects only smartphones, feature phones (locally called kabambes), and tablets, for now. The CA said it may adopt similar requirements for other devices in the future, “based on technological evolution.”

Read: Kenya phases out low-end phones with Type-C charger rule

At the same time, other jurisdictions like the EU and Saudi Arabia have provided transition periods, unlike Kenya, whose ban took effect immediately.

The EU has set April 2026 as the USB-C compliance date for laptops. Saudi Arabia is also rolling out a phased USB-C mandate for tablets and phones from 2025, extending to laptops by April 2026. India’s compliance deadline for laptops is until the end of 2026.

CA type-approves all devices before they are locally assembled or imported into the country. The authority skipped a phased implementation and instead exempted device shipments in transit.

How does the new rule change Kenya’s mobile device market?

Kenya’s local phone assembly industry is still small, and the models produced by East Africa Device Assembly Kenya, M-Kopa, and HMD have USB-C connectors.

However, the new rule essentially wipes out a majority of low-end feature phones, which rely on Micro-USB. Kabambes are common among low-earners and small-scale traders seeking separate handsets from their personal smartphones.

It also affects Kenya’s second-hand phone market, which has in recent years seen the rise of pre-used and refurbished older-generation iPhones imported from markets such as the UK and the US.

Does USB-C have limitations?

While versatile, USB-C cables and ports vary in capabilities. USB-C has different data speeds and power delivery. This can lead to charging or data speed inconsistencies, potential durability issues, and confusion over which cables support high-speed data, high-resolution video, or high-power charging, even though the cables might look identical.

Similarly, because USB-C handles power, data, and display signals concurrently, it can be vulnerable to security risks, such as malicious firmware attacks through unauthorised docking stations.

→ dmusau@ke.nationmedia.com