INTERPOL Cautions of Significant Increase in Cyber Attacks on Western and Eastern Africa

The INTERPOL 2025 Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report has raised alarms over a dramatic surge in cybercrime across Africa, with Western and Eastern regions reporting that over 30% of all documented criminal activities are now cyber-related.

Two-thirds of INTERPOL’s African member countries surveyed confirmed that cybercrimes constitute a medium-to-high proportion of total reported offenses, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures.

The report, informed by operational intelligence, law enforcement insights, and strategic private-sector partnerships, paints a concerning picture of a rapidly evolving digital threat landscape, compounded by emerging risks such as AI-driven fraud.

Cybercrime Dominates Reported Offenses

The most prevalent cyberthreats identified include online scams, particularly phishing attacks, which have seen a staggering rise in some African nations with suspected scam notifications increasing by up to 3,000% in the past year, according to data from Kaspersky, a private sector collaborator with INTERPOL.

Ransomware ...