A new security frontline in Africa

The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has released its African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026, revealing that 55% of cyberattacks across Africa are enabled by artificial intelligence (AI).

Many African countries are accelerating efforts to strengthen their legal frameworks on cybersecurity. (Photo: Unsplash)

Drawing on data from 36 African countries, the report identifies a shift in cybercrime from isolated incidents to organised, cross-border criminal networks. This is a worrying trend, making the fight against cybercrime increasingly complex.

According to Interpol, rapid digital transformation, underpinned by more than 1.1 billion mobile subscribers, is driving Africa’s economic growth. However, it has also made the continent an increasingly attractive target for cybercriminals.

As in other parts of the world, the most common forms of cybercrime in Africa include electronic payment fraud, data theft, ransomware attacks and identity fraud. However, there appears to be an informal division of territories among criminal groups.

East Africa has seen a high number of mobile payment fraud cases and attacks targeting critical infrastructure, while West and Central Africa have become hotspots for business email fraud and romance scams. Southern Africa, with its high level of internet connectivity, has emerged as an attractive destination for international cybercrime syndicates.

Interpol notes that the most alarming development is the growing use of AI by criminals to create high-quality deepfake videos, fabricate digital identities and develop highly convincing scam scenarios capable of bypassing many traditional security measures.

As a result, cyberattacks and online fraud are becoming not only more frequent but also more sophisticated and harder to detect.

Although many countries have recognised cybersecurity as a new security frontline, the financial losses caused by cybercrime in Africa have continued to rise sharply, from 192 million USD in 2024 to 484 million USD between late 2025 and early 2026.

South Africa, with its advanced digital ecosystem, modern submarine fibre-optic cable infrastructure and deeply integrated financial sector, has become a prime target for transnational criminal organisations and fraud networks targeting businesses and critical infrastructure.

Interpol figures show that South Africa accounts for 92% of all ransomware incidents detected across Africa, 70% of business email compromise cases, 30% of digital sextortion cases and 43.6% of all identified system vulnerabilities on the continent.

Interpol has identified South Africa as a major operating base for criminal networks using AI to defraud businesses in the US and Europe. Data breaches have also enabled criminals to use AI-generated fake identities to circumvent authentication systems and open fraudulent bank and credit accounts.

Many African countries are accelerating efforts to strengthen their legal frameworks on cybersecurity. In 2025, 17 countries enacted or revised legislation on cybercrime prevention and enforcement. Joint operations involving national law enforcement agencies and Interpol led to the arrest of more than 1,500 suspects and the recovery of over 100 million USD in illicit assets.

Interpol has urged African countries to invest more heavily in digital forensic capabilities, develop a skilled workforce in AI and cybersecurity, and establish robust data-sharing mechanisms among regulators, technology companies, banks and telecom operators.

According to Interpol, safeguarding cyberspace is no longer merely a technological issue but a new security frontline that will be decisive for the sustainable development of the African continent.

NDO