Interpol says that AI is increasingly involved in cybercrime across Africa. In its reporting, the organization states that more than half of cybercrimes reported on the continent are now AI-enabled, citing the scale and speed of change in how online attacks are carried out. The reports describe digital crime as evolving into an “industrialized, borderless” ecosystem, making attacks harder to detect and more difficult to investigate and combat across jurisdictions.
Several outlets attribute the figures to an Interpol 2026-related assessment. The Punch reports that AI powers 55% of African cybercrimes, while Infosecurity Magazine similarly frames the share as over half. Both emphasize that AI capability can support more sophisticated scams, including ones designed to target people and financial systems. Infosecurity Magazine also notes that losses linked to AI-enabled cybercrime have reportedly doubled.
Overall, the coverage presents a consistent picture: AI is playing a growing role in cybercriminal activity in Africa, and associated harms are increasing, prompting Interpol to warn that law enforcement and cybersecurity defenses face heightened challenges.
