Treasury Increases eCitizen Fees as Kenyans Brace for Higher Cost of Accessing Government Services
Kenyans seeking government services through the eCitizen platform are set to pay more following fresh regulations proposed by the National Treasury that will see service fees rise to as much as Ksh100 depending on the value of the transaction.
The sweeping changes are contained in the proposed Public Finance Management (e-Citizen System Management) Regulations, 2026, spearheaded by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi.
The regulations mark one of the biggest restructurings of digital government service charges since the launch of the eCitizen platform and are expected to affect millions of Kenyans who rely on the portal for essential services such as passport applications, business registration, driving licence renewals, and land transactions.
Under the proposed framework, the government intends to replace the current flat-rate model with a tiered fee structure based on the cost of the service being accessed.
Treasury officials stated, “The new fee structure is designed to align service charges with transaction value while supporting the sustainability and maintenance of the eCitizen system.”
According to the proposal, any government service valued above Ksh100,000 will attract a Ksh100 facilitation fee through the eCitizen platform. Services falling under this category include stamp duty payments, land rent, title transfer fees, lease extension charges, and premium payments for government land allocations.
Meanwhile, services costing between Ksh10,000 and Ksh99,999 will now attract a Ksh70 charge. These include company registration for limited companies, investor work permits, consulting engineer registration, development permit applications, and court filing fees for major commercial disputes.
Land transfer charges and county business permits for medium and large businesses are also expected to fall under the Ksh70 category.
For ordinary Kenyans accessing routine services, transactions ranging between Ksh500 and Ksh9,999 will now attract a Ksh50 fee.
A section of users reacted strongly online, “The cost of accessing government services is already high, and these additional charges will only burden wananchi further.”
Other services set to attract the Ksh50 charge include business name registration, duplicate driving licence applications, driving test bookings, and provisional driving licence processing.
At the lower end, services valued between Ksh100 and Ksh499 will attract a Ksh5 charge. These include duplicate birth certificate applications, motor vehicle search services, and minor civil registration document requests.
However, the Treasury says services valued below Ksh99 will remain free of charge. These include opening an eCitizen account, profile access, service searches, and some government waiver-related applications.
The proposal has already sparked debate among stakeholders, with concerns emerging over the growing cost of accessing public services in an economy where many households continue to face financial pressure.
At the same time, Nancy Gathungu has reportedly raised concerns over the proposed fees and the management of revenue generated through the platform.
Treasury officials have defended the move, arguing that the fees are necessary to sustain the increasingly expansive digital infrastructure supporting over 30,000 government services.
Treasury sources warned, “Without sustainable funding, the maintenance, security, and continued operation of the eCitizen platform could face significant challenges.”
The regulations are expected to undergo further review before full implementation, with Kenyans likely to closely monitor how the changes will affect everyday access to essential government services.
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Treasury Increases eCitizen Fees as Kenyans Brace for Higher Cost of Accessing Government Services
