AI powers 55% of Africa’s cybercrime, SA among most exposed – Interpol

Artificial intelligence (AI) is enabling 55% of reported cybercrimes across Africa, making attacks faster. Picture: Interpol Artificial intelligence (AI) is enabling 55% of reported cybercrimes across Africa, making attacks faster, more scalable and harder to detect. This is according to the African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026, released by Interpol in Lyon, France.

The 40‑page report, based on survey data from 36 African member states, highlights a defining shift: cyber‑criminality has evolved from isolated incidents into an industrialised, borderless ecosystem. East Africa has emerged as a hub for mobile money fraud and ransomware targeting infrastructure. Central and West Africa report high levels of business email compromise (BEC) and romance scams affecting both corporate and individual victims.

Southern Africa’s high levels of connectivity make it it a target for global threat actors seeking maximum disruption. South Africa, as part of Southern Africa, is identified as particularly exposed due to its advanced digital economy. Financial institutions and telecoms face risks from AI‑driven credential harvesting, phishing and synthetic identity fraud.

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The report warns that the absence of real‑time data sharing between banks, telecoms and law enforcement creates blind spots exploited by criminals. According to the report, cybercrime losses across Africa have more than doubled since 2024, rising from $192 million to $484 million. AI‑facilitated scams, credential theft and automated social engineering campaigns are the main drivers.

The report revealed that digital sextortion and online harassment, often facilitated by AI‑generated deepfakes and synthetic media, remain widespread. TrendAI, one of Interpol’s partners, recorded 600 000 sextortion detections in 2025.

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