INTERPOL says artificial intelligence is now linked to more than half of reported cybercrime across Africa, helping drive financial losses to $484 million, more than doubling from $192 million since 2024 as criminals increasingly automate scams, phishing campaigns and identity fraud.
The findings, published in INTERPOL’s African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026, underscore how cybercrime has evolved from isolated attacks into an industrialized, borderless criminal enterprise that is becoming harder for law enforcement, businesses and financial institutions to detect and disrupt.
According to the report, AI now features in 55% of reported cybercrime across the continent, enabling criminals to launch faster, more scalable and increasingly sophisticated attacks against individuals, companies and governments.
The warning comes as Africa’s digital economy continues to expand rapidly. The continent recorded more than 1.1 billion mobile subscribers in 2025, accelerating the adoption of mobile money, digital banking and online services while simultaneously creating a larger attack surface for cybercriminals.
Online scams remained the most reported cybercrime across Africa in 2025, with attackers leveraging AI alongside mobile money platforms and social media to target victims. INTERPOL said 72% of the 36 African member countries surveyed reported the presence of scam centres, with Southern and West Africa recording the highest concentration.
The report identifies East Africa as a growing hotspot for mobile money fraud and ransomware attacks targeting critical infrastructure, while Central and West Africa continue to face widespread business email compromise and romance scams. Southern Africa’s high levels of digital connectivity have also made the region an attractive target for international cybercriminal groups seeking maximum disruption.
INTERPOL also warned that criminals are increasingly using AI to generate synthetic identities by combining genuine personal information with fabricated data. These identities can bypass some biometric verification systems and have been used to open bank accounts, secure mobile loans and register SIM cards under false identities.
Business email compromise attacks are also becoming more sophisticated, with AI generating convincing corporate emails capable of deceiving employees and business partners. The report notes that Africa-based cybercriminal groups are increasingly targeting victims in Europe and North America while using infrastructure spread across multiple jurisdictions.
The organization further warned that limited real-time information sharing between banks, telecommunications companies and law enforcement agencies continues to hamper efforts to combat financial fraud, giving cybercriminals more time to exploit stolen credentials and move illicit funds.
“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,” said Neal Jetton, Director of INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Directorate.
Despite the growing threat, INTERPOL said coordinated international operations including Operation Serengeti 2.0, Operation Contender 3.0, Operation Sentinel and Operation Red Card 2.0 led to more than 1,500 arrests, the seizure of hundreds of electronic devices and the recovery of more than $100 million in criminal proceeds.
The report recommends strengthening digital forensic capabilities, improving AI literacy among law enforcement agencies, enhancing cross-border cooperation and deepening partnerships between governments and the private sector to better respond to increasingly sophisticated cyber threats across the continent.