The Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) has launched a crackdown on pirated textbooks and revision materials, warning that fake learning materials may contain errors, omissions or outdated content as candidates sit their national examinations.

In a statement on Thursday, ACA Board of Directors Chairperson Nelson Ributhi Gaichuhie said the authority would increase inspections of bookshops, stationery wholesalers and suppliers serving schools to curb the sale of counterfeit educational products.

The crackdown will also target counterfeit calculators and mathematical sets bearing imitations of registered brands and publishers. According to the authority, such products may fail to meet the required standards of accuracy, potentially affecting students who rely on them during their studies and examinations.

"Stationery was among the highest-value categories of goods in the Authority's most recent destruction exercise. Officers will step up inspections of bookshops, stationery wholesalers and suppliers serving schools," Gaichuhie said.

The authority has also announced measures to protect consumers against counterfeit foodstuffs and personal care products as demand for various goods rises during the festive season.

Gaichuhie urged members of the public to buy products only from licensed and reputable outlets.

"Check seals, labels and packaging, and verify excise stamps and standardisation marks through official channels," he said.

The authority has also intensified enforcement against counterfeit agricultural inputs after officers seized illegally repackaged fertiliser in Matungu, Kakamega County, last Friday.

According to ACA, the operation led to the recovery of two loaded lorries and industrial packaging equipment.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the fertiliser had been diverted from the government subsidy programme and repackaged in counterfeit branded bags for sale at commercial prices.

The authority said fertiliser intended to make farming affordable for ordinary Kenyans was instead being sold for private profit. It added that demand for fertiliser was expected to rise during the planting season, making the fight against counterfeit agricultural inputs a key focus of its intensified countrywide operations.

The authority has also stepped up enforcement against counterfeit and illicit alcohol following recent operations that led to the recovery of thousands of suspected counterfeit bottles and large quantities of illicit brew.

Between August 20 and September 3, 2026, a multi-agency Rapid Results Initiative targeting high-risk areas of Nairobi resulted in 36 arrests and apprehensions, the seizure of more than 5,555 suspected counterfeit bottles and the recovery of approximately 39,580 litres of illicit brew.

According to ACA, Dagoretti North accounted for about 27,330 litres of the recovered illicit alcohol, while more than 5,000 bottles were seized in Kayole and 868 assorted alcoholic beverages in Eastleigh.

On September 15, ACA officers working with the police seized 8,459 suspected counterfeit alcoholic products valued at approximately Sh2.1 million in Makindu. Further seizures in Nairobi, Nyeri and Eldoret brought the value of goods recovered in September to approximately Sh3.74 million.

ACA said it would also intensify operations against counterfeit tobacco and related products, including cigarettes bearing imitations of registered brands and forged excise stamps.

Other products under scrutiny include counterfeit nicotine products, electronic cigarettes, vapes, refill liquids, rolling papers and filters.

The authority said these products are manufactured outside regulatory oversight, meaning their contents cannot be verified. Their sale also leads to government revenue losses and undermines legitimate manufacturers.

The crackdown will be conducted in collaboration with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), the Ministry of Health and rights holders.

Farmers have been urged to purchase subsidised fertiliser only through authorised channels, while parents and schools have been urged to obtain learning materials from authorised publishers and suppliers.

Members of the public can report suspected counterfeit products through ACA's official channels or at any of its regional offices. The authority said all information would be handled confidentially.

“Counterfeiters should not expect a holiday from enforcement,” Gaichuhie said.