Artificial intelligence is accelerating cybercrime across Africa, accounting for 55 per cent of reported digital offences and enabling criminals to launch faster, larger and more sophisticated attacks, according to INTERPOL’s African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026.
The report indicates that the continent’s expanding digital economy, supported by more than 1.1 billion mobile subscribers in 2025, has created new opportunities for innovation while exposing countries to growing cyber risks.
It also notes that many African states continue to face fragmented cyber laws, with law enforcement agencies lacking adequate AI preparedness to respond effectively.
Drawing on information from 36 member countries, the assessment describes cybercrime as a highly organised transnational enterprise rather than isolated criminal activity.
Regional trends highlighted in the report show that East Africa is experiencing a rise in mobile money fraud and ransomware attacks targeting essential infrastructure.
In West and Central Africa, business email fraud and online romance scams remain widespread, while Southern Africa’s advanced digital connectivity continues to attract international cybercriminal networks seeking high-impact targets.
INTERPOL estimates that financial losses linked to cybercrime have risen sharply since 2024, increasing from 192 million dollars to 484 million dollars.
The growth is largely attributed to AI-powered fraud, credential theft and automated social engineering techniques.
Online scams remained the most frequently reported cyber offence in 2025, with criminals exploiting social media platforms, mobile payment systems and artificial intelligence to deceive victims.
The report further reveals that 72 per cent of participating countries identified scam centres operating within their borders, particularly in Southern and West Africa.
The study also points to a growing threat from digital sextortion and online abuse, driven by deepfake technology and synthetic media generated through AI.
TrendAI, one of INTERPOL’s partners, recorded approximately 600,000 detections related to sextortion during the reporting period.
Business Email Compromise schemes have also become increasingly sophisticated, with cybercriminals using artificial intelligence to produce convincing fraudulent correspondence.
African-based syndicates were found targeting businesses and individuals in Europe and North America while operating across several jurisdictions.
According to the report, weak information sharing among financial institutions, telecommunications companies and security agencies remains a major obstacle to tackling cyber-enabled financial crime.
Criminal groups are also increasingly creating synthetic identities by combining authentic personal information with fabricated details.
These digitally generated identities have reportedly been used to bypass biometric verification, open bank accounts, obtain mobile loans and register SIM cards using false identities.
Director of INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Directorate, Neal Jetton, described cybercrime as one of the region’s most serious security threats, stating that artificial intelligence now supports every phase of cyberattacks, from intelligence gathering and phishing to extortion and evasion.
He added that stronger international collaboration has proven effective in disrupting criminal operations.
The report highlights encouraging progress, noting that 17 African countries either introduced or updated cybercrime legislation in 2025.
Senegal also established an online reporting platform to improve responses to internet-related offences affecting children.
INTERPOL further noted that regional training programmes continue to strengthen cybersecurity capacity across the continent.
The organisation reported significant achievements through four coordinated operations, Operation Serengeti 2.0, Operation Contender 3.0, Operation Sentinel and Operation Red Card 2.0, which resulted in more than 1,500 arrests, the confiscation of hundreds of electronic devices and the recovery of over 100 million dollars.
To address emerging threats, INTERPOL recommends expanding digital forensic capabilities, improving cooperation among African countries, strengthening AI expertise within law enforcement agencies and deepening partnerships between governments and the private sector to enhance cybercrime prevention, detection and response.
The African Cyberthreat Assessment 2026 forms part of INTERPOL’s African Joint Operation against Cybercrime programme, supported by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with technical contributions from Fortinet, Mastercard, the Shadowserver Foundation, S2W and TrendAI.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong