INTERPOL’s latest report delivers a stark warning: artificial intelligence now drives more than half of Africa’s reported cybercrimes, making attacks slicker, faster, and far harder to stop.
INTERPOL’s latest report delivers a stark warning: artificial intelligence now drives more than half of Africa’s reported cybercrimes, making attacks slicker, faster, and far harder to stop.
The African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026 found that AI was linked to 55% of reported cybercrime incidents across the continent. The report, based on data from 36 African countries, said cybercrime has evolved from isolated attacks into a sophisticated, cross-border criminal ecosystem driven by automation and emerging technologies.
The findings come as Africa’s digital economy continues to expand. The continent recorded more than 1.1 billion mobile subscribers in 2025, increasing digital adoption but also widening the attack surface for cybercriminals.
At the same time, INTERPOL noted that cybercrime laws remain fragmented across many African countries, while law enforcement agencies are still ill-equipped to respond to AI-powered threats.
The financial impact of cybercrime is also growing rapidly.
IM: INTERPOL According to the report, cybercrime-related losses across Africa increased from $192 million in 2024 to $484 million since then, representing more than a twofold increase. INTERPOL attributed the rise largely to AI-assisted scams, credential theft and automated social engineering campaigns.
Online scams remained the most frequently reported cybercrime in 2025, with criminals increasingly exploiting AI, social media platforms and mobile money services to target victims.
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The findings show that 72% of surveyed countries had identified scam centres operating within their borders, with Southern and West Africa recording the highest concentration.
Beyond phishing and online scams, the report warned that AI is changing how cybercriminals operate.
AI-generated deepfakes are fuelling a rise in sextortion and online harassment. INTERPOL partner TrendAI logged roughly 600,000 sextortion cases, revealing just how widespread AI-enabled abuse has become.
Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks have also become more sophisticated. Criminal groups are now using generative AI to produce highly convincing emails that impersonate legitimate businesses, with some Africa-based actors targeting organisations in Europe and North America.
The report further warned that cybercriminals are creating synthetic digital identities by combining stolen personal information with AI-generated details. These fake identities have reportedly been used to open bank accounts, obtain mobile loans and register SIM cards while bypassing some biometric verification systems.
Weak collaboration remains a major challengeINTERPOL said one of the biggest obstacles to tackling financial cybercrime in Africa is the lack of real-time information sharing between banks, telecommunications companies and law enforcement agencies.
According to the report, this gap allows criminals to move quickly across jurisdictions while making it harder for authorities to detect and stop fraudulent activities before significant losses occur.
Neal Jetton, Director of INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Directorate, said AI is now transforming every stage of a cyberattack.
“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.”
Neal Jetton, Director of INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Directorate Despite the growing threat, INTERPOL highlighted progress in regional cooperation.
Looking ahead, INTERPOL called for stronger cross-border collaboration, improved digital forensic capabilities, greater AI training for law enforcement officers and closer partnerships between governments and the private sector to strengthen Africa’s cyber resilience.
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