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INTERPOL Report 2026 • Cybercrime

AI used in 55% of cybercrime in Africa

Artificial intelligence has industrialised cybercrime in Africa. According to INTERPOL's 2026 report, it is involved in 55% of cybercrime on the continent, and direct losses recorded across 36 member countries rose from $192 million in 2024 to $484 million in 2025/2026. Mobile money fraud, business email compromise (BEC), 600,000 deepfake sextortion cases, synthetic identities bypassing e-KYC checks: the threats are multiplying. For DPOs and CISOs, the priority is biometric Zero Trust, two-person validation of payment orders and threat intelligence sharing between CERTs. Discover in our carousel the report's key figures, the threat map and our recommendations.

By Ibrahim DOUMBOUYASenior Governance, Risk and Compliance Consultant

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CYBERCRIME • AI • AFRICAN THREATS

🚨 INTERPOL Report 2026

AI USED IN 55% OF CYBERCRIME IN AFRICA

The official INTERPOL report: automated attacks are exploding, financial losses have doubled to $484M and deepfakes are on the rise.

ADT Summary | Source: INTERPOL 2026Ibrahim DOUMBOUYAGovernance, Risk and Compliance ConsultantSlide 1 / 7

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Financial Cost

Financial Losses Doubled: from $192M to $484M

📈 Losses up 2.5x in Two Years

According to the survey across 36 African member countries, direct losses rose from $192M in 2024 to $484M in 2025/2026.

🏭 Industrialisation

Cybercrime has moved from isolated incidents to an industrial, cross-border, automated ecosystem.

INTERPOL African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026Ibrahim DOUMBOUYAGovernance, Risk and Compliance ConsultantSlide 2 / 7

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Mapping

Three Cyberthreat Epicentres

🌍 East Africa

Targeted mobile money fraud and ransomware attacks.

🌍 West & Central Africa

Business email compromise (BEC) fraud and romance scams.

🌍 Southern Africa

International syndicates targeting the high connectivity rate.

Cyber risk breakdown by sub-regionIbrahim DOUMBOUYAGovernance, Risk and Compliance ConsultantSlide 3 / 7

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AI Techniques

Deepfakes & Biometric Bypass

🎭 600,000 Sextortion Cases

A surge in AI-generated synthetic media and deepfakes recorded across the continent.

🪪 Bypassing KYC

AI-manufactured synthetic identities used to defeat banking e-KYC checks.

Autonomous AI voice and image impersonationIbrahim DOUMBOUYAGovernance, Risk and Compliance ConsultantSlide 4 / 7

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Statement

Neal Jetton's Warning (INTERPOL)

“AI now automates every stage of a cyberattack, from reconnaissance through phishing to extortion.”

Neal Jetton — Director of Cybercrime, INTERPOLIbrahim DOUMBOUYAGovernance, Risk and Compliance ConsultantSlide 5 / 7

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Recommendations

What should DPOs & CISOs do?

🛡️ Biometric Zero Trust

Add verification factors and build in behavioural detection.

🔐 Anti-BEC Procedures

Two-person human validation of executive payment orders.

GRC & cyber prevention measuresIbrahim DOUMBOUYAGovernance, Risk and Compliance ConsultantSlide 6 / 7

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Conclusion

“AI has industrialised cybercrime in Africa. The answer requires direct threat intelligence sharing between the continent's CERTs.”

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#INTERPOL #Cybercrime #AI #MobileMoney #AfricaGRCIbrahim DOUMBOUYAGovernance, Risk and Compliance ConsultantSlide 7 / 7