Cyberattacks targeting African organisations have increased far more rapidly than the global average, raising concerns about whether businesses, governments and financial institutions can keep pace with the continent’s digital transformation.
Cyberattacks across Africa rose by approximately 421.4% between 2016 and 2025, compared with a global increase of 307.3%, according to a new Mastercard-commissioned report examining cybersecurity risks across the continent.
The report, titled Africa’s Digital Defense Race, recorded 69,236 observed cyber events targeting African organisations in 2025 through Mastercard Cyber Insights. That represents roughly one recorded event every eight minutes.
The findings highlight a growing challenge for African economies as mobile banking, digital payments, online shopping and technology-based services become increasingly important to everyday life and business operations.
While expanding internet access and digital financial services have created new opportunities for consumers and companies, they have also opened additional avenues for criminals seeking to steal money, obtain personal information or disrupt essential services.
The report draws on cybersecurity intelligence, industry research, law-enforcement information and interviews with experts. Its analysis examines four important African markets: Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco and Kenya.
Although Africa does not record the highest absolute volume of cyberattacks compared with some other world regions, the speed at which attacks are increasing is emerging as a major concern.
Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco and Kenya Face Major Cybersecurity Risks
Four countries accounted for more than half of the cyber activity recorded across Africa in 2025, according to the report.
Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco and Kenya together represented 54.7% of the observed cyber events targeting organisations on the continent.
Nigeria recorded the largest share, accounting for 24.4% of the reported cyber activity. Its extensive fintech ecosystem, growing digital payment market and increasing use of online services make cybersecurity a significant concern for businesses and consumers.
South Africa accounted for 12.6% of the observed incidents. The country’s concentration of financial institutions and technology-driven businesses makes protecting digital infrastructure particularly important.
Morocco represented 10.6% of the recorded cyber activity. As the country strengthens its position as a technology and business hub connecting Africa with Europe, safeguarding its digital systems remains an important priority.
Kenya accounted for 7.1% of the reported activity. The country has developed a substantial digital financial services ecosystem, including mobile money platforms that play a major role in everyday transactions.
The figures represent each country’s share of the observed cyber events covered by the report. They should not be interpreted as a complete measurement of all cybercrime occurring within each country, since not every incident is detected or reported.
Nevertheless, the findings underline the importance of strengthening digital security in markets where financial services, government systems and business operations increasingly depend on interconnected technology.
Financial Services and Government Institutions Among Main Targets
The report identifies technology companies, public-sector organisations and financial services as three of the most exposed areas of Africa’s digital economy.
Together, these sectors accounted for 44% of the cyber threat activity observed across the continent in 2025.
Their prominence reflects the importance of the information and services they manage. Technology companies hold valuable business and customer data, government institutions operate essential public systems, and financial organisations process transactions involving large volumes of sensitive information.
The consequences of a successful attack can extend beyond the organisation directly affected. A breach at a financial institution, for example, could expose customers to fraud, while an attack on a public agency could interrupt services or compromise confidential records.
The Mastercard-commissioned report also found that personal information, financial information and customer-facing services collectively accounted for 27% of the assets targeted.
These findings illustrate why cybercriminals may pursue more than immediate financial rewards. Stolen personal data can be used for identity fraud, while compromised business systems may provide opportunities for extortion or further attacks.
The report also points to the increasingly organised nature of cybercrime. More than 60% of attributed cyber events were linked to black-hat hackers and organised criminal groups.
This suggests that many threats are no longer limited to isolated individuals carrying out unsophisticated attacks. Criminal networks can coordinate activities, use specialised tools and target organisations repeatedly.
For African businesses, the challenge is therefore not simply to install security software. Organisations also need effective monitoring, reliable incident-response procedures, trained employees and systems that can be updated as threats evolve.
Rapid Digital Growth Creates New Security Challenges
Africa’s digital transformation is one of the major factors behind the expanding cybersecurity challenge.
Over the past decade, mobile money services, online banking and e-commerce have become increasingly important across many African markets. Businesses and consumers are using digital platforms to transfer money, purchase goods, access services and communicate with customers.
The report estimates that mobile money users increased 5.9-fold between 2016 and 2025. Digital banking users grew 4.7-fold, while the e-commerce market expanded 5.3-fold over the same period.
These developments have helped widen access to financial services and created opportunities for entrepreneurs who can reach customers through digital channels.
However, rapid adoption also means that more valuable information and financial transactions are taking place online.
The report describes a situation in which digital services have expanded quickly, sometimes faster than the institutions, expertise and security arrangements needed to protect them.
This can leave weaknesses in areas such as identity verification, data protection, fraud detection and the management of third-party technology providers.
The risks are particularly important for businesses moving from traditional operations to online platforms without making equivalent investments in cybersecurity.
A company may establish an online payment system or customer database to improve efficiency, for instance, but expose itself to additional threats if it does not adequately protect user accounts and sensitive information.
The challenge is to ensure that digital development and cybersecurity investment advance together rather than treating security as an issue to address only after an incident occurs.
Africa Faces a Shortage of Cybersecurity Professionals
A shortage of skilled professionals is another major obstacle identified by the report.
Africa has an estimated 200,000 unfilled cybersecurity positions, representing a workforce gap of approximately 23%, according to the Mastercard-commissioned assessment.
More than 80% of African organisations surveyed reported shortages of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity talent.
This shortage can make it difficult for businesses to recruit specialists capable of monitoring networks, identifying suspicious activity, investigating breaches and responding to incidents.
Smaller companies may face additional challenges because experienced cybersecurity professionals are expensive to recruit, while specialist security services can be difficult to maintain within limited budgets.
The skills gap also affects law enforcement agencies responsible for investigating cybercrime.
According to the report, 92% of African law enforcement agencies surveyed identified insufficient technical expertise as a major obstacle to adopting AI tools. Meanwhile, 89% of officers surveyed said inadequate cross-border cooperation was a significant barrier to successful investigations.
These findings highlight two connected problems: the need for more technically trained personnel and the importance of cooperation between agencies operating in different countries.
Cybercrime frequently crosses national boundaries. A criminal may target a business in Nigeria, route activity through infrastructure in another country and move stolen funds through accounts or services elsewhere.
Investigating such cases can require rapid information sharing, compatible forensic capabilities and cooperation between financial institutions, telecommunications providers and law enforcement agencies.
Without these arrangements, investigations can become more difficult and criminals may exploit differences in national laws or enforcement capacity.
Cybersecurity Investment Remains Below Mature-Market Levels
The report also highlights a gap between the resources allocated to cybersecurity in Africa and the spending levels observed in more mature markets.
It states that advanced cybersecurity markets typically spend around 0.25% of gross domestic product on cybersecurity.
South Africa, identified in the assessment as Africa’s strongest performer on this measure, spends approximately 0.19% of GDP. The average across the rest of sub-Saharan Africa is estimated at just 0.03%.
These figures point to the challenge of funding cybersecurity systems at a time when many businesses and governments are also investing in basic digital infrastructure and expanding online services.
However, limited investment can leave organisations with outdated technology, inadequate monitoring and insufficient capacity to recover quickly after an attack.
The report also highlights the need to strengthen the pipeline of future cybersecurity workers.
Only 11% of tertiary graduates across Africa were reported to have received formal digital training, according to the assessment.
Expanding technical education, professional certification programmes and practical training could help build a larger pool of workers capable of supporting the continent’s growing digital economy.
Governments, universities and private companies all have a role to play. Partnerships that provide students with hands-on experience, internships and specialised training could help narrow the gap between the skills employers need and those available in the labour market.
For businesses, investing in staff training is also important because employees can become a first line of defence against phishing, fraudulent messages and attempts to steal login credentials.
Africa’s Digital Economy Could Reach New Heights by 2030
Despite the risks, Africa’s digital economy is expected to offer substantial opportunities in the coming years.
The report points to projections that Africa’s digital payments economy could reach $1.5 trillion by 2030. It also estimates that the continent’s artificial intelligence economy could grow to $16.5 billion by the end of the decade.
Sub-Saharan Africa could support as many as 230 million digital jobs by 2030, according to the assessment.
These projections highlight the potential for technology to create employment, expand access to financial services and support business growth.
However, the economic benefits depend partly on whether consumers and businesses can trust the platforms they use.
Frequent data breaches, financial fraud and service disruptions could discourage people from adopting digital services. Businesses may also become reluctant to expand online if they believe the risks are too high or the costs of protecting their systems are unaffordable.
Cybersecurity is therefore not only a technical issue. It is also connected to economic confidence, consumer protection and the long-term sustainability of digital business models.
For governments seeking to attract technology investment, reliable data-protection rules, effective cybercrime laws and capable institutions can help create a more secure environment for companies and consumers.
Mastercard Calls for Greater Cooperation
Mastercard has emphasised the importance of coordinated action as cyber threats become more sophisticated and organised.
Shabir Ahmed, the company’s senior vice-president and customer solutions centre lead for Africa, said the continent’s digital growth has created significant opportunities that must be protected through stronger cooperation.
In July 2026, Mastercard launched the Africa Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, an initiative intended to bring public- and private-sector stakeholders together to share information, expertise and good practices.
Such initiatives can help organisations improve their ability to identify threats and respond to incidents. Cooperation is particularly important when an attack affects multiple institutions or involves criminal infrastructure operating across several countries.
However, the success of these efforts will depend on sustained investment, practical training and the willingness of organisations to share relevant information while respecting privacy and legal requirements.
The broader challenge extends beyond any single company or initiative. Governments need effective institutions and laws, businesses must protect their systems and customer information, and educational institutions need to help develop the next generation of cybersecurity specialists.
Conclusion: Africa Must Strengthen Its Cyber Defences
The latest figures present a clear challenge for Africa’s expanding digital economy. Cyberattacks grew by 421.4% between 2016 and 2025, outpacing the global increase of 307.3%, while thousands of organisations continue to adopt online services and digital financial tools.
Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco and Kenya accounted for more than half of the observed cyber events recorded across the continent, demonstrating the importance of protecting major technology and financial markets.
The reported shortage of cybersecurity professionals and relatively low investment levels add to the pressure on organisations attempting to defend their systems.
Yet the continent’s digital expansion also provides an opportunity to build a stronger cybersecurity industry, develop technical talent and improve cooperation between governments and businesses.
Africa’s ability to sustain its digital growth will depend not only on how quickly new technologies are adopted, but also on how effectively the continent protects the people, businesses and institutions that rely on them.
