The report, based on survey data from 36 African member countries, warns that cybercrime has shifted from isolated attacks into an organized, borderless criminal industry as the continent’s digital growth accelerates.

The report shows that Africa recorded more than 1.1 billion mobile subscribers in 2025, creating new opportunities for digital services but also expanding the space for cybercriminals to exploit users, businesses and institutions.

The INTERPOL highlights that weak cybercrime laws across some countries and limited artificial intelligence readiness among law enforcement agencies are making it difficult to respond effectively to the growing threat.

Cybercrime losses across Africa have more than doubled since 2024, rising from $192 million to $484 million, driven mainly by AI-powered scams, stolen credentials and automated social engineering attacks.

Online scams remained the most reported cybercrime in 2025, with criminals using mobile money platforms, social media and AI tools to target victims.

About 72 per cent of surveyed countries reported the existence of scam centers, with the highest concentration found in Southern and West Africa.

The report identified different cybercrime trends across regions.

East Africa has become a major center for mobile money fraud and ransomware attacks targeting infrastructure, while Central and West Africa have experienced widespread business email compromise and romance scams.

Southern Africa’s high internet connectivity has also made the region attractive to global cybercriminal networks seeking to cause large-scale disruption.

AI has further increased the sophistication of cyberattacks, with criminals using deepfakes and synthetic media to carry out digital sextortion and online harassment.

Around 600,000 sextortion detections were recorded by TrendAI, one of the partners contributing to the INTERPOL assessment.

Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks have also become more advanced, with criminals using AI to create convincing emails and impersonate individuals and organizations.

The INTERPOL said Africa-based attackers have targeted victims in Europe and North America using infrastructure spread across multiple jurisdictions.

The report reveals that the absence of real-time, inter-agency data sharing between banks, telecoms and law enforcement creates a dangerous blind spot in efforts to combat financial fraud.

Cybercriminals are increasingly moving beyond stealing passwords and credentials by creating synthetic identities. These AI-generated identities combine real personal information with fake details and have been used to open bank accounts, obtain mobile loans and register SIM cards under false names.

Neal Jetton, Director of INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Unit, said AI has transformed the scale and speed of cyberattacks but stressed that international cooperation can help disrupt criminal networks.

“Cybercrime has emerged as one of the most significant criminal threats to the region. AI is automating every stage of a cyberattack from reconnaissance and phishing to extortion and evasion.

“However, we see that when countries work together, cybercriminal infrastructure can be identified, disrupted and dismantled.”

Despite the growing threat, INTERPOL said progress is being made.

In 2025, 17 African countries introduced or updated cybercrime laws, including Senegal’s launch of an online reporting platform to strengthen responses to online crimes affecting children.

Regional capacity-building programmes are also helping improve cyber resilience, while coordinated operations have produced major results.

Four INTERPOL-led 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 devices and the recovery of more than $100 million.

The report recommends stronger digital forensic capabilities, improved cross-border cooperation, greater investment in AI skills for law enforcement officers and stronger partnerships between governments and the private sector.

INTERPOL’s Africa Cyberthreat Assessment forms part of the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime initiative, funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

The assessment used data from partners including Fortinet, Mastercard, the Shadowserver Foundation, S2W and TrendAI.