Artificial intelligence is fuelling a surge in cybercrime across Africa, with the technology enabling 55 percent of reported cybercrime incidents on the continent, according to the 2026 African Cyberthreat Assessment Report by Interpol.
The report said AI is making cyberattacks faster, more scalable and increasingly difficult for victims and digital platforms to detect, while cybercriminals are using the technology to improve fraud, extortion and identity-related schemes.
The 40-page assessment, released on Monday, was based on survey data from 36 African countries and analysed cyberthreat trends between January 2024 and September 2025.
Nigeria featured prominently among countries affected by several categories of cybercrime, including ransomware, data breaches, business email compromise (BEC), cryptocurrency fraud and money laundering.
Nigeria Records High Ransomware Detections-Interpol said data breaches were particularly observed in South Sudan, South Africa, Nigeria and Namibia during the period under review.
Ransomware incidents were also prevalent in South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Senegal and Zambia, with attackers increasingly targeting healthcare institutions, utility providers and public service portals to maximise disruption and extortion.
According to the report, TrendAI recorded 5,822 ransomware detections in Nigeria in 2025.
“Ransomware detections in 2025 provided by TrendAI reached record levels in Cabo Verde, with 16,997 detections, the second highest in Africa, while Nigeria recorded 5,822, reflecting the country’s dual role as an origin and target of cybercrime,” the report said.
AI Strengthens Business Email Fraud-Interpol identified business email compromise as the “financial engine” of transnational cybercrime.
BEC involves criminals impersonating executives, business partners or other trusted individuals to deceive employees into transferring money or disclosing confidential information.
West Africa recorded the highest level of BEC detections, according to the report.
Interpol said the sophistication of such operations had increased significantly, with AI being used to produce convincing emails capable of mimicking the tone, internal terminology and signature styles of executives.
TrendAI data showed that South Africa accounted for 70 percent of BEC detections in 2025, while Nigeria accounted for 29 percent.
The report said threat actors based in South Africa had targeted US-based enterprises using compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.
It also identified Nigerian-based threat actors, active since 2021, as increasingly central to international money laundering operations.
According to Interpol, illicit proceeds are being routed through cryptocurrency exchanges, shell companies and mobile payment platforms.
Nigeria Accounts For $92bn In Crypto Transactions-The report also highlighted the growing role of cryptocurrency in Africa’s cybercrime ecosystem.
It estimated that the continent’s cryptocurrency economy recorded $205 billion in transactions between July 2024 and July 2025, making the sector an attractive target for fraud.
Nigeria accounted for $92 billion of the transaction volume during the period.
South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria were also listed among the African countries considered most vulnerable to data breaches.
Cybercriminals Exploit Identity Verification Gaps- Interpol further examined the impact of Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen identity verification.
In 2024, the National Identity Management Commission enforced a policy requiring every SIM card to be linked to a unique and verifiable National Identification Number.
The report said the measure significantly reduced some forms of fraud but noted that cybercriminals rapidly adapted by exploiting weaknesses in Know Your Customer enforcement.
According to Interpol, criminals have used AI to facilitate the registration of SIM cards under false identities.
The findings highlight the growing challenge facing African governments and cybersecurity agencies as criminals increasingly combine artificial intelligence with established cybercrime networks.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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