INTERPOL identifies ransomware, AI-powered scams among Africa’s biggest cyber threats

Ransomware attacks, business email compromise (BEC), organised online scams and artificial intelligence-driven cybercrime have emerged as some of the most serious digital security threats confronting Africa, according to the latest cyber threat assessment released by INTERPOL.

The INTERPOL African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026 warns that cybercriminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated, combining emerging technologies with organised criminal networks to target governments, businesses, financial institutions and critical infrastructure across the continent.

The agency concluded that Africa's cyber threat landscape is becoming increasingly interconnected, with ransomware, financial fraud, data breaches, AI-enabled scams and organised criminal networks reinforcing one another.