According to INTERPOL’s 2025 Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report, two-thirds of the organisation’s African member countries said cyber-related crimes accounted for a medium-to-high share of all crimes, increasing to 30 per cent in Western and Eastern Africa.

The press release stated that online scams (phishing) were the most reported cybercrimes in Africa, and ransomware, business email compromise (BEC) and digital sextortion remained a widespread issue.

Neal Jetton, INTERPOL Cybercrime Director, said: “This fourth edition of the INTERPOL African Cyberthreat Assessment provides a vital snapshot of the current situation, informed by operational intelligence, extensive law enforcement engagement and strategic private-sector collaboration. It paints a clear picture of a threat landscape in flux, with emerging dangers like AI-driven fraud that demand urgent attention. No single agency or country can face these challenges alone.”

Ambassador Jalel Chelba, Acting Executive Director of AFRIPOL, said: “Cybersecurity is not merely a technical issue; it has become a fundamental pillar of stability, peace, and sustainable development in Africa. It directly concerns the digital sovereignty of states, the resilience of our institutions, citizen trust and the proper functioning of our economies.”