African cyberattacks surge over fourfold

Africa’s digital payments economy is projected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2030, according to the whitepaper. Photo: Tima Miroshnichenko/Pexels

A recent Mastercard whitepaper reveals that cyberattacks in Africa surged by 421% between 2016 and 2025, significantly outpacing the global increase of 307% during the same period. Titled Africa’s Digital Defense Race, the report highlights cyber resilience, workforce development, and cross-sector collaboration as critical areas to support the continent’s digital growth.

Shabir Ahmed, Mastercard’s Senior Vice President and Customer Solutions Center Lead for Africa, emphasized that safeguarding the digital economy has become a top priority for leaders. He stressed the importance of coordinated efforts to combat cyber threats, showing the role of public-private partnerships in sharing intelligence, knowledge, and best practices.

African organizations face mounting cybersecurity challenges, with Mastercard Cyber Insights recording 69,236 cyber events targeting them in 2025—approximately one event every eight minutes. The report argues that strengthening cybersecurity capabilities is essential as digital financial services, e-commerce, and other tech-driven sectors expand across the continent.

Africa’s digital payments economy is projected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2030, according to the whitepaper. From 2016 to 2025, mobile money users grew 5.9 times, digital banking users increased 4.7 times, and the e-commerce market expanded 5.3 times. This rapid growth shows the need for robust cybersecurity measures to protect users and their data.

The report identifies a significant shortage of cybersecurity professionals, with around 200,000 roles unfilled across Africa by the end of 2025. This gap presents an opportunity to invest in training, skills development, and practical experience. Efforts are underway to address this challenge through various initiatives.

Mastercard’s Africa Cybersecurity Center of Excellence is a key initiative aimed at tackling this issue. It brings together security leaders and teams to share knowledge, exchange best practices, and enhance organizational readiness through scenario-based exercises. The center is designed to support the development of cybersecurity professionals and strengthen the overall security posture of African organizations.

The technology, public, and financial sectors accounted for 44% of observed cyber activity, reflecting the value of the data and services they hold. Personal information, financial data, and customer-facing services made up 27% of targeted assets. Protecting these sectors is vital for the digital economy’s stability.

Regional cooperation is key in addressing cybersecurity threats. The whitepaper highlights Interpol’s Operation Serengeti 2.0 as a successful example of coordinated action. Between June and August 2025, the operation resulted in 1,209 arrests across 18 African countries and the recovery of $97.4 million. This demonstrates the effectiveness of collaborative efforts in combating cybercrime.