Artificial intelligence is now powering more than half of cybercrime cases reported across Africa, making digital attacks more sophisticated, widespread and harder to detect, according to INTERPOL’s African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026.
The report revealed that AI is involved in 55 per cent of reported cybercrime incidents on the continent, underscoring how rapidly criminals are exploiting emerging technologies as Africa’s digital economy expands.
With Africa recording over 1.1 billion mobile subscribers in 2025, the report noted that the continent’s growing digital connectivity has created new opportunities for cybercriminals, while fragmented cybercrime laws and limited AI preparedness among law enforcement agencies continue to weaken response efforts.
Drawing on data from 36 African member countries, the 40-page assessment said cybercrime has evolved from isolated criminal activity into a highly organized, cross-border enterprise.
It identified distinct regional trends, with East Africa experiencing widespread mobile money fraud and ransomware attacks targeting critical infrastructure.
Central and West Africa continue to grapple with business email compromise and romance scams, while Southern Africa’s advanced digital connectivity has made it an attractive target for international cybercriminal networks.
The financial impact has also intensified. Since 2024, reported cybercrime losses across Africa have surged from 192 million dollars to 484 million dollars, fuelled largely by AI-powered scams, credential theft and automated social engineering attacks.
According to the report, online scams remained the continent’s most frequently reported cybercrime in 2025, with criminals increasingly using AI, mobile money platforms and social media to deceive victims.
Nearly three-quarters of the surveyed countries said scam centres are operating within their borders, with Southern and West Africa recording the highest concentration.
INTERPOL also warned about the growing threat of AI-generated deepfakes and synthetic media, which are increasingly being used for digital sextortion and online harassment.
Data from TrendAI showed about 600,000 sextortion detections during the reporting period.
Business Email Compromise attacks have become more convincing as cybercriminals deploy AI to generate realistic email conversations.
The report noted that Africa-based threat actors are increasingly targeting businesses and individuals in Europe and North America while operating across multiple jurisdictions.
Another emerging concern is the use of AI to create synthetic identities. Criminals combine genuine personal information with fabricated details to produce digital identities capable of bypassing biometric verification systems, enabling them to open bank accounts, obtain mobile loans and register SIM cards under false identities.
The report further highlighted poor coordination between financial institutions, telecommunications companies and law enforcement agencies, saying the lack of real-time information sharing has created significant gaps that cybercriminals continue to exploit.
Director of INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Directorate, Neal Jetton, described cybercrime as one of Africa’s most pressing security challenges, noting that artificial intelligence is now being used throughout the entire attack cycle, from reconnaissance and phishing to extortion and evasion.
Despite the growing threat, the report pointed to encouraging progress across the continent.
Seventeen African countries enacted or updated cybercrime legislation in 2025, while Senegal introduced an online reporting platform to improve responses to online crimes involving children.
INTERPOL also said four major multinational operations, Operation Serengeti 2.0, Operation Contender 3.0, Operation Sentinel and Operation Red Card 2.0, resulted in more than 1,500 arrests, the seizure of hundreds of electronic devices and the recovery of over 100 million dollars.
To strengthen Africa’s cyber resilience, the report urged governments to improve digital forensic capabilities, deepen cross-border cooperation, invest in AI training for law enforcement officers and expand public-private partnerships to enhance cybercrime prevention, detection and response.
The African Cyberthreat Assessment forms part of INTERPOL’s African Joint Operation against Cybercrime programme, supported by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with contributions from cybersecurity partners including Fortinet, Mastercard, the Shadowserver Foundation, S2W and TrendAI.
