AI fuels more than half of cybercrime in Africa as digital scams surge: INTERPOL

AI is now powering over half of reported cybercrime cases across Africa, enabling criminals to conduct faster and more convincing attacks at larger scales, according to INTERPOL's 2026 African Cyberthreat Assessment Report. Online scams are the most prevalent cyber threat, with financial losses from cybercrime surging from $192 million in 2024 to $484 million in 2025, driven by AI-powered fraud and sophisticated social engineering tactics. The report reveals that 72% of surveyed African countries have identified scam centers operating within their borders, with deepfake technology and AI-generated content increasingly used in sextortion campaigns and business email compromise schemes.