Interpol Issues Warning on Escalating Cybercrime Threats Across Africa

Cybercrime now represents over 30% of all reported crime in both Western and Eastern Africa, with significant increases noted elsewhere on the continent. This alarming information was disclosed in a recent announcement by Interpol.

The policing organization indicated that approximately two-thirds of African member countries report that cyber-related offenses constitute a “medium-to-high” share of total crimes, defined as either 10-30% or greater than 30%.

According to the 2025 Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report, prevalent forms of cybercrime include phishing scams, ransomware attacks, business email compromise (BEC), digital sextortion, and cyber threats targeting critical infrastructure, evidenced by attacks on entities like Kenya’s Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The report highlighted the following statistics from 2024:

• Some African countries reported a staggering 3000% increase in suspected scam notifications (Kaspersky).
• Ransomware detections were highest in South Africa (17,849), Egypt (12,281), Nigeria (3,459), and Kenya (3,030), according to data from Trend Micro.
• 11 African nations are responsible for the majority of BEC activities, with West African threat groups identified as particularly sophisticated and financially backed.
• 60% of African countries indicated a rise in digital sextortion cases.

The challenges facing law enforcement in Africa include inadequate cooperation among countries, outdated legal frameworks, and insufficient cybersecurity infrastructure. Interpol’s findings reveal that only 30% of African states have an incident reporting system in place, 29% maintain a digital evidence repository, and merely 19% sustain a cyber-threat intelligence database.

Moreover, 86% of member nations reported that international cooperation remains weak, with a comparable percentage (89%) stating that public-private partnerships are lacking. A substantial 75% of respondents expressed the need for improvements in legal frameworks and prosecution capabilities.

On a more optimistic note, several member nations are making strides by aligning their cybersecurity laws with international standards and bolstering their cybercrime response through investments in specialized units and digital forensics capabilities. Initiatives such as Operation Red Card and Operation Serengeti exemplify progress, with the latter disrupting cybercrime networks potentially responsible for $193 million in financial losses and 35,000 global victims.

Interpol’s African Joint Operation against Cybercrime (AFJOC) aims to further enhance law enforcement capabilities across the continent. The report concludes with recommendations in six essential areas:

1. Strengthening national capabilities
2. Enhancing legal and policy frameworks
3. Improving regional and international cooperation
4. Expanding prevention and public awareness efforts
5. Deepening public-private partnerships
6. Leveraging emerging technologies for cybercrime prevention

Jalel Chelba, acting executive director of Afripol, emphasized that “cybersecurity is not merely a technical issue; it has become a fundamental pillar of stability, peace, and sustainable development in Africa.” He noted its critical role regarding the digital sovereignty of states, the resilience of institutions, citizen trust, and the functionality of economies.