Africa has emerged as a key testing ground for sophisticated cyberattacks, with artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and digital impersonation driving a new wave of threats across the continent. According to Microsoft’s 2025 Digital Defense Report, cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging AI to enhance phishing schemes, impersonate trusted individuals, and exploit familiar digital platforms.
The report, which analyzed over 100 trillion daily security signals, reveals that North African countries have become primary targets, while South Africa has become a hotspot for Business Email Compromise (BEC) infrastructure and money mule operations. Microsoft’s Chief Security Advisor for Africa, Kerissa Varma, notes that “Africa isn’t just a target — it’s a proving ground for the latest cyber threats,” with attackers using AI to tailor phishing messages in local languages and mimic familiar figures.
The investigation found that data theft was the primary goal in 80 percent of incidents last year, with financially driven attacks resulting in a significant increase in the total cost of cybercrime in Africa. The World Economic Forum’s Cybercrime Impact Atlas 2025 estimates that the total cost of cybercrime in Africa rose from $192 million to $484 million, with the number of victims increasing from 35,000 to 87,000.
BEC has overtaken ransomware as the most financially damaging threat, accounting for 21 percent of successful attacks despite making up just two percent of total incidents. Criminals are combining phishing, credential theft, and multi-factor authentication tampering to breach systems. Emerging tactics, such as “ClickFix” scams and impersonation via Microsoft Teams, are also on the rise.
The report highlights the significant impact of AI on cybercrime, with AI-powered phishing achieving a 54 percent click rate, 4.5 times higher than traditional campaigns. AI-generated IDs used to bypass verification and launch attacks have also increased by 195 percent globally. Microsoft’s Secure Future Initiative is working to help African organizations strengthen their resilience by integrating AI-driven defense systems and more secure product design frameworks.
As the continent’s digital threat landscape continues to evolve, Microsoft is urging African companies and governments to invest in modern, adaptive cybersecurity strategies to counter these emerging threats. With the rise of AI-driven cyberattacks, it is essential for organizations to prioritize cybersecurity and stay ahead of the threats to protect their assets and reputation.