Africa experienced significant cyber incidents throughout 2024, and we are grateful that the year is nearing its end. Let me spill out some facts, Africa loses over $3.5 billion annually due to cyberattacks according to a report by International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Incidents such as INTERPOL’s Operation Serengeti, a ransomware attack on South Africa’s National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), and cybercriminals stealing from the central bank of Uganda shed light on the weakness of Africa’s security systems and the need to strengthen as we head towards 2025.
The coming year is predicted with AI-driven attacks and advancement in ransomware techniques which Africa should be ready for.
This article will highlight the notable cyber threats that happened in 2024 as well as the trends and statistics of cybercrime in Africa.
Recap of Africa’s cyber threat landscape in 2024
The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), a global agency that coordinates international police efforts against transnational crime, performed a massive cyber operation in Africa that got 1,006 suspects arrested, 134,089 malicious infrastructures destroyed and close to $ 44 million (USD) monetary value being recovered.
In Uganda, cybercriminals stole close to 17$ million from the country’s central bank. They also became a victim of a hacktivist group called Anonymous Sudan, who launched an attack as a retaliation to the backing of their opponent (RSF).
I’m sure you heard the website of the Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) got hacked. But not sure of Nigerian authorities arresting 792 individuals involved in online fraud schemes, including romance and cryptocurrency scams. Also, it was reported that Nigeria suffered over 586,000 cyber attacks on its financial and telecom companies from January to June 2024.
Kenya, in their state of national security report, recorded 114 cyber attacks on critical infrastructure in 2024. From July to September 2024, the country detected 657.8 million cyber threats, marking a 41.87% decrease from the 1.13 billion threats observed between April and June 2024.
In June 2024, South Africa’s National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) experienced a cyberattack that compromised its IT and backup systems. This breach disrupted laboratory test services nationwide, affecting patient care and diagnostic operations. According to the NETSCOUT threat intelligence report, South Africa had the highest number of DDoS in Africa (230,416 Attacks) in the first half of 2024. It was among the most targeted in the EMEA region.
Ghana recorded a 997% increase in data breaches during the first quarter of 2024 compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, totaling 1.2 million breaches. This alarming rise positioned Ghana ninth among African countries with the highest number of data breaches. The country also recorded the most DDoS attacks in West Africa in NETSCOUT’s threat intelligence report.
Cybercrime statistics and trends in Africa
Malware — most used attack vector
The most common method used by cyber attackers on organizations and individuals in Africa is Malware according to Positive Technologies.
As a result, ransomware is the most prevalent. Research from the cybersecurity firm Check Point indicates that, on average, one out of every fifteen organizations in Africa faced a ransomware attempt weekly during the first quarter of 2023.
Ransomware accounted for 29% (most) of the malware family in Positive Technologies’ report. INTERPOL African Cyber Threat Assessment report listed ransomware, among others as the most expanding threat on the continent.
Just this month, Namibia’s state-owned telecom company suffered a ransomware attack, leading to the leak of sensitive customer data, including information about high-ranking government officials.
African banks have been warned of an emerging malware targeting financial institutions and their customers in Africa.
DDoS attacks
We’ve talked about South Africa being the country with the most DDoS attacks in the first half of 2024. Critical infrastructure sectors such as wireless telecommunications carriers, computer-related services, insurance agencies, and electronic computer manufacturing were notably affected.
In West Africa, Ghana led the region with 4,753 attacks, primarily targeting the telecommunications sector. Guinea and Nigeria followed, with 2,918 and 2,721 attacks respectively, affecting similar industries.
Morocco had the most attacks in North Africa followed by Egypt and Tunisia.
Below is the chart for the most DDoS attacks:
Identity fraud
According to Sumsub’s 2024 Identity Fraud Report, Africa has experienced a significant surge in identity fraud, with an average year-over-year increase of 167%. Niger, Angola, and South Africa have been particularly affected, each reporting identity fraud rate growth exceeding 300%.
In Nigeria, the average fraud rate in 2024 reached 5.91% of all verifications, doubling from the previous year. Other countries with high fraud rates include Algeria, Tanzania, Madagascar, and Chad. Additionally, Uganda, Niger, Cameroon, Kenya, and Comoros rank among the top African nations with the highest percentage of fraud in 2024, with Kenya more than doubling its fraud incidence over the past three years.
Best performing cybersecurity countries in Africa
The Global Cybersecurity Index(GCI) report by ITU shed light on the African countries doing well with their cybersecurity implementation.
Countries in tier 1 and serving as “role models” for other African countries include Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Rwanda, and Tanzania.
Countries in tier 2 described as “advancing” include Benin, South Africa, Togo and Zambia.
How Africa can enhance its cybersecurity in 2025
1. Develop comprehensive cybersecurity strategies: It’s imperative for African nations to craft and regularly update national cybersecurity frameworks. This involves conducting thorough risk analyses, identifying critical infrastructure, and implementing measures to safeguard these assets.
2. Invest in law enforcement cyber capabilities: Strengthening the cyber capabilities of law enforcement agencies is crucial. This includes investing in skilled personnel, advanced technologies, and streamlined processes to effectively combat cybercrime.
3. Foster regional and international collaboration: Cyber threats are transnational; thus, fostering collaboration within the cybersecurity ecosystem is essential. Creating synergies among governments, private sectors, and international bodies can enhance information sharing and collective defense mechanisms.
4. Implement unified cybersecurity measures: Adopting or improving comprehensive and unified cybersecurity measures across sectors ensures a cohesive defense against cyber threats, minimizing gaps that adversaries could exploit.
5. Enhance public awareness and education: Raising public awareness about cyber threats and promoting cybersecurity education can empower individuals and organizations to adopt safer online practices, thereby reducing vulnerabilities.
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