AI powers 55% of Africa's cybercrime, INTERPOL report says

A new report from INTERPOL reveals that artificial intelligence is now a central tool for cybercriminals across Africa, enabling faster, more sophisticated, and harder-to-detect attacks. The organization's African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026, released on August 3, 2026, found that 55 percent of reported cybercrimes on the continent are now AI-enabled, marking a major shift in the threat landscape.

The report, based on survey data from 36 African member countries, describes cybercrime as having evolved from isolated incidents into an industrialized, borderless ecosystem. Neal Jetton, Director of INTERPOL's Cybercrime unit, stated that AI is automating every stage of an attack, from reconnaissance and phishing to extortion and evasion. He added that coordinated international action has proven effective, allowing criminal infrastructure to be identified, disrupted, and dismantled.

Financial losses linked to cybercrime have more than doubled since 2024, rising from an estimated $192 million to $484 million. The primary drivers are AI-facilitated scams, credential theft, and automated social engineering campaigns. Online scams remain the most frequently reported type of...