AI generated imageAfrica recorded 69,236 cyber events targeting organisations in 2025, while the continent’s digital payments economy is projected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2030.
Kenya’s challenge is to strengthen the security of the systems underpinning financial inclusion and digital growth.
Cyberattacks across Africa increased by more than 421% between 2016 and 2025, outpacing global growth of 307%, according to a new Mastercard-commissioned whitepaper, Africa’s Digital Defence Race.
The report highlights the security risks accompanying the expansion of the continent’s digital economy, where mobile money users grew 5.9-fold over the decade, digital banking users 4.7-fold and the e-commerce market 5.3-fold.
Mastercard Cyber Insights recorded 69,236 observed cyber events targeting African organisations in 2025, equivalent to approximately one event every eight minutes.
For Kenya, the report identifies the need to strengthen resilience around the systems supporting financial inclusion and digital growth as digital services expand.
The whitepaper argues that protecting the continent’s digital economy will require stronger governance, infrastructure, cybersecurity skills and collaboration between public and private sector organisations.
“Protecting it has become a leadership priority,” said Shabir Ahmed, Mastercard’s senior vice-president and Customer Solutions Center lead for Africa. Speaking on Monday at the launch of the report, Ahmed said the company’s Africa Cybersecurity Center of Excellence was established to bring public and private sector organisations together to share intelligence, knowledge and best practices.
Financial services among key targets
Technology, the public sector and financial services together accounted for 44% of observed cyber activity across Africa, according to the report. Personal information, financial information and customer-facing services represented 27% of targeted assets.
The report points to different cybersecurity priorities across the continent. Nigeria, home to one of Africa’s largest fintech ecosystems, accounted for a significant share of observed cyberattacks, while South Africa’s concentrated financial sector was the target of 12.6% of the continent’s observed attacks.
Morocco, meanwhile, has developed one of the continent’s more institutionalised cyber governance structures, reflecting its position as a regional technology hub connecting North Africa to Europe.
Skills gap presents an opportunity
Africa has approximately 200,000 cybersecurity roles waiting to be filled, equivalent to a shortage of 23% of its current cybersecurity workforce, the whitepaper says.
Mastercard identifies this skills gap as an opportunity for investment, alongside efforts to improve organisations’ preparedness through scenario-based exercises and the sharing of expertise.
The company’s Africa Cybersecurity Center of Excellence supports these efforts by bringing security leaders and teams together to exchange knowledge and best practices.
The report also points to the potential of cross-border cooperation in tackling cybercrime. Between June and August 2025, Interpol’s Operation Serengeti 2.0 resulted in 1,209 arrests across 18 African countries and the recovery of $97.4 million.
Mastercard says its approach involves working with governments, financial institutions and businesses to share threat intelligence, monitor risks and strengthen collective defences.
