Cyberattacks surge in Africa

Africa has seen a dramatic rise in cyberattacks as the continent undergoes a digital transformation. According to a report by Mastercard, the number of cyberattacks targeting businesses, public institutions, and individuals on the continent increased by 421.4 percent between 2016 and 2025, far outpacing the global average of 307 percent.

Report details attack frequency

The report, titled Africa's Digital Defense Race: Mapping Africa's cyber threat environment and defense priorities, states that 69,236 cyberattacks were recorded in Africa in 2025, equating to one attack every 8 minutes. Africa's share of global cyberattacks has grown from 3.4 percent to 4.4 percent during this period. Interpol estimates that cybercrime caused at least 5 billion USD in direct economic damage across the continent in the previous year.

Digital growth fuels cyber risks

The rise in cyber threats coincides with the rapid expansion of digital services in Africa. Between 2016 and 2025, mobile payment users multiplied by 5.9, online banking users increased by 4.7 times, and the e-commerce market size grew by 4.2 times. The digital payments market is projected to reach 1,500 billion USD by 2030, while the AI economy is expected to triple in size by 2030.

Cyberattacks target economic hubs

Four African countries—Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco, and Kenya—accounted for 54.7 percent of all cyberattacks recorded in 2025. These nations are attractive to cybercriminals due to their developed infrastructure, efficient payment systems, and expanding digital public services. The nature of attacks has also evolved, shifting from consumer scams to more sophisticated threats targeting banks, telecoms, government systems, and critical infrastructure.

Professionalized cybercrime

In 2025, 44 percent of cyberattacks in Africa targeted technology, the public sector, and financial services. Over 60 percent of recorded incidents were attributed to malicious hackers and organized criminal groups, with 13.9 percent linked to politically motivated actors and 9.7 percent to state-sponsored groups.

Cybersecurity costs rise

The increase in cybercrime is slowing innovation and raising costs for businesses, public authorities, and consumers. African fintech startups now spend 8 to 12 percent of their operating expenses on cybersecurity, compared to 3 to 5 percent in 2020. However, cybersecurity investments in Africa lag behind global standards, with South Africa allocating 0.19 percent of GDP to cybersecurity and other Sub-Saharan countries averaging only 0.03 percent.

Skills gap and international efforts

Africa faces a significant shortage of cybersecurity professionals, with around 200,000 vacant positions in the field. International cooperation, however, offers potential solutions. Operation "Serengeti 2.0" by Interpol in 2025 led to 1,209 arrests across 18 African countries and the recovery of 97.4 million USD.

African nations invest in various sectors

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