Africa is facing a new wave of cybercrime driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI), with 55 per cent of reported cybercrimes on the continent now reportedly AI-enabled, according to the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL).
INTERPOL, in its African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026 released on Aug. 3, said cybercrime-related financial losses in Africa had more than doubled since 2024 to reach 484 million dollars.
The report also identified online scams as the most frequently reported form of cybercrime, with financial services, telecommunications and government institutions among the sectors most affected.
It further revealed that cybercriminals were increasingly using AI-generated synthetic identities, combining real personal information with fabricated elements to bypass biometric verification systems.
The findings have heightened calls for African governments and other stakeholders to develop homegrown, inclusive and rights-respecting approaches to AI governance and cybersecurity.
Paradigm Initiative (PIN), a pan-African organisation focused on digital rights and inclusion, said the growing use of AI in cybercrime underscored the need for a deeper understanding of the technology and its implications.
The organisation made the position known in a primer titled, “What is the Whole Fuss About AI?”, which examines emerging challenges associated with AI regulation across Africa.
PIN identified surveillance without accountability, the use of internet shutdowns as a regulatory tool and the adoption of “copy-and-paste” laws that fail to reflect local realities as some of the major challenges confronting AI governance on the continent.
The organisation said African countries needed to move beyond simply restricting emerging technologies and instead develop regulatory frameworks that protect fundamental rights while enabling societies to benefit from innovation.
According to PIN, stakeholders should consider three critical questions when developing or deploying AI systems: how society benefits from the technology, how inclusive standards can be created, and what avenues for redress exist when something goes wrong.
The organisation also stressed the importance of inclusivity in the development of AI systems and standards.
“A standard written without women, rural communities, people with disabilities or African languages will fail them by design,” the report stated.
PIN noted that although AI strategies were multiplying across African countries, safeguards remained inadequate, raising concerns about whether existing frameworks were rights-respecting, homegrown and sufficiently open to public participation.
The organisation said the response to AI-enabled cybercrime should involve a broad range of stakeholders, including governments, law enforcement agencies, technology companies, financial institutions, civil society organisations, researchers and digital platform users.
It argued that meaningful solutions required the participation of the right stakeholders in developing practical measures capable of addressing the abuse of AI while ensuring that the technology was harnessed for public good.
The organisation further maintained that African governments should not approach AI solely from the perspective of risk or restriction, but should develop dynamic frameworks capable of responding to both the opportunities and threats presented by the technology.
The latest INTERPOL findings underscore the growing sophistication of cybercriminals and the increasing scale of cyber threats across the continent.
With online scams, financial fraud and identity-related attacks becoming more sophisticated through AI, stakeholders are increasingly confronted with the need to strengthen cybersecurity systems while protecting citizens’ digital rights.
PIN said it remained committed to advancing digital rights and inclusion across Africa and supporting solutions capable of making the digital environment safer, more inclusive and resilient without compromising fundamental rights.
