Artificial intelligence is now driving 55 percent of reported cybercrime cases across Africa, making online attacks more sophisticated, faster and increasingly difficult to detect, according to INTERPOL’s African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026. The report warns that cybercrime has evolved into a highly organised, cross-border enterprise, with criminals using AI to automate phishing campaigns, generate convincing fake content and expand digital fraud operations targeting individuals, businesses and government institutions.

INTERPOL said cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting AI-powered tools to create realistic scam messages, impersonate trusted organisations and launch large-scale ransomware attacks. The report noted that phishing, business email compromise, online investment fraud and mobile money scams remain among the fastest-growing threats, with AI significantly improving criminals’ ability to deceive victims while reducing the time needed to execute attacks.

The assessment also highlighted the growing challenge facing law enforcement agencies, warning that many countries continue to struggle with limited cybersecurity capacity, underreporting and the rapid evolution of digital threats. INTERPOL urged governments to strengthen regional cooperation, invest in cybercrime investigations and improve intelligence-sharing to counter increasingly sophisticated criminal networks operating across national borders.

Despite the escalating threat, INTERPOL said stronger collaboration between governments, financial institutions, technology companies and international security agencies could significantly reduce cybercrime across the continent. The organisation called for increased public awareness, stronger cybersecurity infrastructure and continuous training for investigators, stressing that a coordinated response remains essential as artificial intelligence continues to reshape the digital crime landscape.