From CompliNEWS | Financial Services Intelligence Watch

South Africa identified as Africa’s cybercrime epicentre

SA is now the epicentre of cybercriminal activity in Africa, transitioning from an opportunistic target to a major base for sophisticated, industrialised digital attacks. An Interpol report reveals that the nation bears a disproportionate burden of cyber threats, driven by rapid digital adoption, advanced infrastructure, and a deeply integrated financial sector. The International Criminal Police Organization’s African Cyberthreat Assessment Report highlights concerning statistics: 92% of ransomware detections, 70% of Business Email Compromise (BEC) incidents, and 40% of phishing campaigns across the continent originate from SA. IoL reports that it also accounts for 43.6% of exploitable system vulnerabilities and 30% of digital sextortion cases. Despite a comprehensive regulatory framework, including the Cybercrimes Act, enforcement agencies face challenges due to cross-border legal friction and slow international co-operation. While cybersecurity spending is relatively high, public sector agencies struggle with technical capacity gaps in real-time threat intelligence and AI-driven mitigation.

Read the Full IoL report here