INTERPOL Report: AI Drives African Cybercrime

International — Interpol's African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026 reveals that AI now enables 55% of reported cybercrimes across Africa, marking a fundamental shift in criminal methodology. Cybercrime-related losses have more than doubled since 2024, from $192 million to $484 million, driven by AI-facilitated scams, credential harvesting, and automated social engineering. The report, based on survey data from 36 African member countries, highlights that 72% of surveyed countries reported the presence of scam centres, with the highest concentration in Southern and West Africa. East Africa emerged as a hub for mobile money fraud and ransomware, while West and Central Africa saw prolific business email compromise and romance scams. Criminals are increasingly using AI-generated synthetic identities to bypass biometric verification, opening bank accounts and obtaining loans under false names. The report also notes that 17 countries enacted or amended cybercrime legislation in 2025, and coordinated operations led to over 1,500 arrests and recovery of over $100 million. International — Interpol urges stronger cross-border cooperation, AI literacy for law enforcement, and public-private partnerships to combat the growing threat.