Where ransomware reigns in Africa

In 2024, Interpol member countries identified ransomware as one of the most prevalent cyber threats across the African continent, posing a growing risk to governments, businesses, and critical services.

Data from Interpol’s private sector partners indicates that monthly ransomware detections in Africa rose in 2024 compared to the previous year.

These attacks are particularly concerning because of their high financial impact, their potential to severely disrupt critical infrastructure, and the damage they inflict
on affected organizations and individuals.

Reports from cybersecurity firms and Interpol private partners show that South Africa and Egypt suffered the highest number of ransomware incidents in 2024, followed by other highly digitised economies such as Nigeria, Kenya, the Gambia, Tunisia and Morocco.

Algeria, Ethiopia and even more compact states like Benin also reported significant attacks, underscoring that ransomware is a continent-wide challenge, especially in countries with more developed digital infrastructure.