A new report warning that artificial intelligence is being used to enable 55 per cent of cybercrimes in Africa raises much cause for concern. Cybercrimes have been a serious threat to public and private institutions.Indeed, two banks were attacked recently by scammers in Nigeria.The threats continue to assume new dimensions daily. Interpol’s 40-page African cyberthreat assessment report for 2026, covering 36 countries, warns that AI is increasing the speed of such attacks, making them more scalable, and increasingly difficult for victims and platforms to detect.The worst hit were South Sudan, South Africa, Nigeria, and Namibia between January 2024 and September 2025.Ransomware incidents were similarly prevalent across South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Senegal, and Zambia, with attackers increasingly targeting healthcare institutions, utility providers, and public service portals to maximise disruption and extortion potential.Citing Business Email Compromise as the financial engine of cybercrime, Interpol said threat actors based in Nigeria, active since 2021, had become central to international money-laundering operations, routing illicit proceeds through crypto exchanges, shell companies, and mobile payment platforms.According to the investigative non-profit, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, AI-enabled (AI-powered) cybercrimes in Nigeria primarily involve the use of generative AI, machine learning, deepfakes, large language models, and automation to scale, personalise, and evade detection in traditional cybercrimes.Nigeria is both a major origin point and a target, especially given its large digital economy, fintech growth, mobile money usage, and high internet penetration.AI also generates realistic fake videos, images, or audio of celebrities, officials, family members, or executives. It is also used in romance scams, sextortion, distress/emergency scams, and high-value fraud.Cases include deepfake nudes of public figures and voice cloning for financial fraud. AI generates highly personalised, grammatically perfect emails, messages, or voice notes that mimic trusted contacts, executives, banks, or relatives. It automates reconnaissance and scales attacks. This drives credential harvesting and fraud on bank and fintech platforms.It is noteworthy that President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission Act, which prescribes stiff penalties for the breach of data privacy and cybercrimes.Another threat area is in crypto transactions, which were valued at $205 billion between July 2024 and July 2025. Nigeria accounted for $92 billion out of this figure, while investors became targets of fraud. South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria were the countries with the highest vulnerabilities for data breaches.Related NewsWorld Bank warns developing countries to embrace AI or be left behindJigawa police arrest suspects in N22m fraud, recover ATM cards, rifleAI powers 55% of African cybercrimes, INTERPOL 2026 report revealsInterpol noted how NIMC’s 2024 policy mandating that every SIM card be linked to a unique and verifiable national identification number had significantly reduced fraud.Notably, cybercriminals exploited vulnerabilities in KYC enforcement and the registration of SIM cards under false names, with the help of AI.“Ransomware detections in 2025 provided by TrendAI reached record levels in Cabo Verde, with 16,997 detections, the second highest in Africa, while Nigeria recorded 5,822, reflecting the country’s dual role as an origin and target of cybercrime,” the report reads.The Interpol report noted that the sophistication of these BEC campaigns has increased dramatically, with AI now used to generate highly convincing email correspondence that mimics executive tone, internal jargon, and signature styles with near-perfect fidelity.In 2025, TrendAI data indicated that 70 per cent of BEC detections originated in South Africa and 29 per cent from Nigeria.The report described BEC as the financial engine of transnational cybercrime.Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. Indeed, two banks were attacked recently by scammers in Nigeria.The threats continue to assume new dimensions daily. Interpol’s 40-page African cyberthreat assessment report for 2026, covering 36 countries, warns that AI is increasing the speed of such attacks, making them more scalable, and increasingly difficult for victims and platforms to detect.The worst hit were South Sudan, South Africa, Nigeria, and Namibia between January 2024 and September 2025.Ransomware incidents were similarly prevalent across South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Senegal, and Zambia, with attackers increasingly targeting healthcare institutions, utility providers, and public service portals to maximise disruption and extortion potential.Citing Business Email Compromise as the financial engine of cybercrime, Interpol said threat actors based in Nigeria, active since 2021, had become central to international money-laundering operations, routing illicit proceeds through crypto exchanges, shell companies, and mobile payment platforms.According to the investigative non-profit, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, AI-enabled (AI-powered) cybercrimes in Nigeria primarily involve the use of generative AI, machine learning, deepfakes, large language models, and automation to scale, personalise, and evade detection in traditional cybercrimes.Nigeria is both a major origin point and a target, especially given its large digital economy, fintech growth, mobile money usage, and high internet penetration.AI also generates realistic fake videos, images, or audio of celebrities, officials, family members, or executives. It is also used in romance scams, sextortion, distress/emergency scams, and high-value fraud.Cases include deepfake nudes of public figures and voice cloning for financial fraud. AI generates highly personalised, grammatically perfect emails, messages, or voice notes that mimic trusted contacts, executives, banks, or relatives. It automates reconnaissance and scales attacks. This drives credential harvesting and fraud on bank and fintech platforms.It is noteworthy that President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission Act, which prescribes stiff penalties for the breach of data privacy and cybercrimes.Another threat area is in crypto transactions, which were valued at $205 billion between July 2024 and July 2025. Nigeria accounted for $92 billion out of this figure, while investors became targets of fraud. South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria were the countries with the highest vulnerabilities for data breaches.Related NewsWorld Bank warns developing countries to embrace AI or be left behindJigawa police arrest suspects in N22m fraud, recover ATM cards, rifleAI powers 55% of African cybercrimes, INTERPOL 2026 report revealsInterpol noted how NIMC’s 2024 policy mandating that every SIM card be linked to a unique and verifiable national identification number had significantly reduced fraud.Notably, cybercriminals exploited vulnerabilities in KYC enforcement and the registration of SIM cards under false names, with the help of AI.“Ransomware detections in 2025 provided by TrendAI reached record levels in Cabo Verde, with 16,997 detections, the second highest in Africa, while Nigeria recorded 5,822, reflecting the country’s dual role as an origin and target of cybercrime,” the report reads.The Interpol report noted that the sophistication of these BEC campaigns has increased dramatically, with AI now used to generate highly convincing email correspondence that mimics executive tone, internal jargon, and signature styles with near-perfect fidelity.In 2025, TrendAI data indicated that 70 per cent of BEC detections originated in South Africa and 29 per cent from Nigeria.The report described BEC as the financial engine of transnational cybercrime.Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. The threats continue to assume new dimensions daily. Interpol’s 40-page African cyberthreat assessment report for 2026, covering 36 countries, warns that AI is increasing the speed of such attacks, making them more scalable, and increasingly difficult for victims and platforms to detect.The worst hit were South Sudan, South Africa, Nigeria, and Namibia between January 2024 and September 2025.Ransomware incidents were similarly prevalent across South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Senegal, and Zambia, with attackers increasingly targeting healthcare institutions, utility providers, and public service portals to maximise disruption and extortion potential.Citing Business Email Compromise as the financial engine of cybercrime, Interpol said threat actors based in Nigeria, active since 2021, had become central to international money-laundering operations, routing illicit proceeds through crypto exchanges, shell companies, and mobile payment platforms.According to the investigative non-profit, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, AI-enabled (AI-powered) cybercrimes in Nigeria primarily involve the use of generative AI, machine learning, deepfakes, large language models, and automation to scale, personalise, and evade detection in traditional cybercrimes.Nigeria is both a major origin point and a target, especially given its large digital economy, fintech growth, mobile money usage, and high internet penetration.AI also generates realistic fake videos, images, or audio of celebrities, officials, family members, or executives. It is also used in romance scams, sextortion, distress/emergency scams, and high-value fraud.Cases include deepfake nudes of public figures and voice cloning for financial fraud. AI generates highly personalised, grammatically perfect emails, messages, or voice notes that mimic trusted contacts, executives, banks, or relatives. It automates reconnaissance and scales attacks. This drives credential harvesting and fraud on bank and fintech platforms.It is noteworthy that President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission Act, which prescribes stiff penalties for the breach of data privacy and cybercrimes.Another threat area is in crypto transactions, which were valued at $205 billion between July 2024 and July 2025. Nigeria accounted for $92 billion out of this figure, while investors became targets of fraud. South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria were the countries with the highest vulnerabilities for data breaches.Related NewsWorld Bank warns developing countries to embrace AI or be left behindJigawa police arrest suspects in N22m fraud, recover ATM cards, rifleAI powers 55% of African cybercrimes, INTERPOL 2026 report revealsInterpol noted how NIMC’s 2024 policy mandating that every SIM card be linked to a unique and verifiable national identification number had significantly reduced fraud.Notably, cybercriminals exploited vulnerabilities in KYC enforcement and the registration of SIM cards under false names, with the help of AI.“Ransomware detections in 2025 provided by TrendAI reached record levels in Cabo Verde, with 16,997 detections, the second highest in Africa, while Nigeria recorded 5,822, reflecting the country’s dual role as an origin and target of cybercrime,” the report reads.The Interpol report noted that the sophistication of these BEC campaigns has increased dramatically, with AI now used to generate highly convincing email correspondence that mimics executive tone, internal jargon, and signature styles with near-perfect fidelity.In 2025, TrendAI data indicated that 70 per cent of BEC detections originated in South Africa and 29 per cent from Nigeria.The report described BEC as the financial engine of transnational cybercrime.Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. The worst hit were South Sudan, South Africa, Nigeria, and Namibia between January 2024 and September 2025.Ransomware incidents were similarly prevalent across South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Senegal, and Zambia, with attackers increasingly targeting healthcare institutions, utility providers, and public service portals to maximise disruption and extortion potential.Citing Business Email Compromise as the financial engine of cybercrime, Interpol said threat actors based in Nigeria, active since 2021, had become central to international money-laundering operations, routing illicit proceeds through crypto exchanges, shell companies, and mobile payment platforms.According to the investigative non-profit, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, AI-enabled (AI-powered) cybercrimes in Nigeria primarily involve the use of generative AI, machine learning, deepfakes, large language models, and automation to scale, personalise, and evade detection in traditional cybercrimes.Nigeria is both a major origin point and a target, especially given its large digital economy, fintech growth, mobile money usage, and high internet penetration.AI also generates realistic fake videos, images, or audio of celebrities, officials, family members, or executives. It is also used in romance scams, sextortion, distress/emergency scams, and high-value fraud.Cases include deepfake nudes of public figures and voice cloning for financial fraud. AI generates highly personalised, grammatically perfect emails, messages, or voice notes that mimic trusted contacts, executives, banks, or relatives. It automates reconnaissance and scales attacks. This drives credential harvesting and fraud on bank and fintech platforms.It is noteworthy that President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission Act, which prescribes stiff penalties for the breach of data privacy and cybercrimes.Another threat area is in crypto transactions, which were valued at $205 billion between July 2024 and July 2025. Nigeria accounted for $92 billion out of this figure, while investors became targets of fraud. South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria were the countries with the highest vulnerabilities for data breaches.Related NewsWorld Bank warns developing countries to embrace AI or be left behindJigawa police arrest suspects in N22m fraud, recover ATM cards, rifleAI powers 55% of African cybercrimes, INTERPOL 2026 report revealsInterpol noted how NIMC’s 2024 policy mandating that every SIM card be linked to a unique and verifiable national identification number had significantly reduced fraud.Notably, cybercriminals exploited vulnerabilities in KYC enforcement and the registration of SIM cards under false names, with the help of AI.“Ransomware detections in 2025 provided by TrendAI reached record levels in Cabo Verde, with 16,997 detections, the second highest in Africa, while Nigeria recorded 5,822, reflecting the country’s dual role as an origin and target of cybercrime,” the report reads.The Interpol report noted that the sophistication of these BEC campaigns has increased dramatically, with AI now used to generate highly convincing email correspondence that mimics executive tone, internal jargon, and signature styles with near-perfect fidelity.In 2025, TrendAI data indicated that 70 per cent of BEC detections originated in South Africa and 29 per cent from Nigeria.The report described BEC as the financial engine of transnational cybercrime.Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. Ransomware incidents were similarly prevalent across South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Senegal, and Zambia, with attackers increasingly targeting healthcare institutions, utility providers, and public service portals to maximise disruption and extortion potential.Citing Business Email Compromise as the financial engine of cybercrime, Interpol said threat actors based in Nigeria, active since 2021, had become central to international money-laundering operations, routing illicit proceeds through crypto exchanges, shell companies, and mobile payment platforms.According to the investigative non-profit, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, AI-enabled (AI-powered) cybercrimes in Nigeria primarily involve the use of generative AI, machine learning, deepfakes, large language models, and automation to scale, personalise, and evade detection in traditional cybercrimes.Nigeria is both a major origin point and a target, especially given its large digital economy, fintech growth, mobile money usage, and high internet penetration.AI also generates realistic fake videos, images, or audio of celebrities, officials, family members, or executives. It is also used in romance scams, sextortion, distress/emergency scams, and high-value fraud.Cases include deepfake nudes of public figures and voice cloning for financial fraud. AI generates highly personalised, grammatically perfect emails, messages, or voice notes that mimic trusted contacts, executives, banks, or relatives. It automates reconnaissance and scales attacks. This drives credential harvesting and fraud on bank and fintech platforms.It is noteworthy that President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission Act, which prescribes stiff penalties for the breach of data privacy and cybercrimes.Another threat area is in crypto transactions, which were valued at $205 billion between July 2024 and July 2025. Nigeria accounted for $92 billion out of this figure, while investors became targets of fraud. South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria were the countries with the highest vulnerabilities for data breaches.Related NewsWorld Bank warns developing countries to embrace AI or be left behindJigawa police arrest suspects in N22m fraud, recover ATM cards, rifleAI powers 55% of African cybercrimes, INTERPOL 2026 report revealsInterpol noted how NIMC’s 2024 policy mandating that every SIM card be linked to a unique and verifiable national identification number had significantly reduced fraud.Notably, cybercriminals exploited vulnerabilities in KYC enforcement and the registration of SIM cards under false names, with the help of AI.“Ransomware detections in 2025 provided by TrendAI reached record levels in Cabo Verde, with 16,997 detections, the second highest in Africa, while Nigeria recorded 5,822, reflecting the country’s dual role as an origin and target of cybercrime,” the report reads.The Interpol report noted that the sophistication of these BEC campaigns has increased dramatically, with AI now used to generate highly convincing email correspondence that mimics executive tone, internal jargon, and signature styles with near-perfect fidelity.In 2025, TrendAI data indicated that 70 per cent of BEC detections originated in South Africa and 29 per cent from Nigeria.The report described BEC as the financial engine of transnational cybercrime.Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. Citing Business Email Compromise as the financial engine of cybercrime, Interpol said threat actors based in Nigeria, active since 2021, had become central to international money-laundering operations, routing illicit proceeds through crypto exchanges, shell companies, and mobile payment platforms.According to the investigative non-profit, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, AI-enabled (AI-powered) cybercrimes in Nigeria primarily involve the use of generative AI, machine learning, deepfakes, large language models, and automation to scale, personalise, and evade detection in traditional cybercrimes.Nigeria is both a major origin point and a target, especially given its large digital economy, fintech growth, mobile money usage, and high internet penetration.AI also generates realistic fake videos, images, or audio of celebrities, officials, family members, or executives. It is also used in romance scams, sextortion, distress/emergency scams, and high-value fraud.Cases include deepfake nudes of public figures and voice cloning for financial fraud. AI generates highly personalised, grammatically perfect emails, messages, or voice notes that mimic trusted contacts, executives, banks, or relatives. It automates reconnaissance and scales attacks. This drives credential harvesting and fraud on bank and fintech platforms.It is noteworthy that President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission Act, which prescribes stiff penalties for the breach of data privacy and cybercrimes.Another threat area is in crypto transactions, which were valued at $205 billion between July 2024 and July 2025. Nigeria accounted for $92 billion out of this figure, while investors became targets of fraud. South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria were the countries with the highest vulnerabilities for data breaches.Related NewsWorld Bank warns developing countries to embrace AI or be left behindJigawa police arrest suspects in N22m fraud, recover ATM cards, rifleAI powers 55% of African cybercrimes, INTERPOL 2026 report revealsInterpol noted how NIMC’s 2024 policy mandating that every SIM card be linked to a unique and verifiable national identification number had significantly reduced fraud.Notably, cybercriminals exploited vulnerabilities in KYC enforcement and the registration of SIM cards under false names, with the help of AI.“Ransomware detections in 2025 provided by TrendAI reached record levels in Cabo Verde, with 16,997 detections, the second highest in Africa, while Nigeria recorded 5,822, reflecting the country’s dual role as an origin and target of cybercrime,” the report reads.The Interpol report noted that the sophistication of these BEC campaigns has increased dramatically, with AI now used to generate highly convincing email correspondence that mimics executive tone, internal jargon, and signature styles with near-perfect fidelity.In 2025, TrendAI data indicated that 70 per cent of BEC detections originated in South Africa and 29 per cent from Nigeria.The report described BEC as the financial engine of transnational cybercrime.Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. According to the investigative non-profit, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, AI-enabled (AI-powered) cybercrimes in Nigeria primarily involve the use of generative AI, machine learning, deepfakes, large language models, and automation to scale, personalise, and evade detection in traditional cybercrimes.Nigeria is both a major origin point and a target, especially given its large digital economy, fintech growth, mobile money usage, and high internet penetration.AI also generates realistic fake videos, images, or audio of celebrities, officials, family members, or executives. It is also used in romance scams, sextortion, distress/emergency scams, and high-value fraud.Cases include deepfake nudes of public figures and voice cloning for financial fraud. AI generates highly personalised, grammatically perfect emails, messages, or voice notes that mimic trusted contacts, executives, banks, or relatives. It automates reconnaissance and scales attacks. This drives credential harvesting and fraud on bank and fintech platforms.It is noteworthy that President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission Act, which prescribes stiff penalties for the breach of data privacy and cybercrimes.Another threat area is in crypto transactions, which were valued at $205 billion between July 2024 and July 2025. Nigeria accounted for $92 billion out of this figure, while investors became targets of fraud. South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria were the countries with the highest vulnerabilities for data breaches.Related NewsWorld Bank warns developing countries to embrace AI or be left behindJigawa police arrest suspects in N22m fraud, recover ATM cards, rifleAI powers 55% of African cybercrimes, INTERPOL 2026 report revealsInterpol noted how NIMC’s 2024 policy mandating that every SIM card be linked to a unique and verifiable national identification number had significantly reduced fraud.Notably, cybercriminals exploited vulnerabilities in KYC enforcement and the registration of SIM cards under false names, with the help of AI.“Ransomware detections in 2025 provided by TrendAI reached record levels in Cabo Verde, with 16,997 detections, the second highest in Africa, while Nigeria recorded 5,822, reflecting the country’s dual role as an origin and target of cybercrime,” the report reads.The Interpol report noted that the sophistication of these BEC campaigns has increased dramatically, with AI now used to generate highly convincing email correspondence that mimics executive tone, internal jargon, and signature styles with near-perfect fidelity.In 2025, TrendAI data indicated that 70 per cent of BEC detections originated in South Africa and 29 per cent from Nigeria.The report described BEC as the financial engine of transnational cybercrime.Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. Nigeria is both a major origin point and a target, especially given its large digital economy, fintech growth, mobile money usage, and high internet penetration.AI also generates realistic fake videos, images, or audio of celebrities, officials, family members, or executives. It is also used in romance scams, sextortion, distress/emergency scams, and high-value fraud.Cases include deepfake nudes of public figures and voice cloning for financial fraud. AI generates highly personalised, grammatically perfect emails, messages, or voice notes that mimic trusted contacts, executives, banks, or relatives. It automates reconnaissance and scales attacks. This drives credential harvesting and fraud on bank and fintech platforms.It is noteworthy that President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission Act, which prescribes stiff penalties for the breach of data privacy and cybercrimes.Another threat area is in crypto transactions, which were valued at $205 billion between July 2024 and July 2025. Nigeria accounted for $92 billion out of this figure, while investors became targets of fraud. South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria were the countries with the highest vulnerabilities for data breaches.Related NewsWorld Bank warns developing countries to embrace AI or be left behindJigawa police arrest suspects in N22m fraud, recover ATM cards, rifleAI powers 55% of African cybercrimes, INTERPOL 2026 report revealsInterpol noted how NIMC’s 2024 policy mandating that every SIM card be linked to a unique and verifiable national identification number had significantly reduced fraud.Notably, cybercriminals exploited vulnerabilities in KYC enforcement and the registration of SIM cards under false names, with the help of AI.“Ransomware detections in 2025 provided by TrendAI reached record levels in Cabo Verde, with 16,997 detections, the second highest in Africa, while Nigeria recorded 5,822, reflecting the country’s dual role as an origin and target of cybercrime,” the report reads.The Interpol report noted that the sophistication of these BEC campaigns has increased dramatically, with AI now used to generate highly convincing email correspondence that mimics executive tone, internal jargon, and signature styles with near-perfect fidelity.In 2025, TrendAI data indicated that 70 per cent of BEC detections originated in South Africa and 29 per cent from Nigeria.The report described BEC as the financial engine of transnational cybercrime.Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. AI also generates realistic fake videos, images, or audio of celebrities, officials, family members, or executives. It is also used in romance scams, sextortion, distress/emergency scams, and high-value fraud.Cases include deepfake nudes of public figures and voice cloning for financial fraud. AI generates highly personalised, grammatically perfect emails, messages, or voice notes that mimic trusted contacts, executives, banks, or relatives. It automates reconnaissance and scales attacks. This drives credential harvesting and fraud on bank and fintech platforms.It is noteworthy that President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission Act, which prescribes stiff penalties for the breach of data privacy and cybercrimes.Another threat area is in crypto transactions, which were valued at $205 billion between July 2024 and July 2025. Nigeria accounted for $92 billion out of this figure, while investors became targets of fraud. South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria were the countries with the highest vulnerabilities for data breaches.Related NewsWorld Bank warns developing countries to embrace AI or be left behindJigawa police arrest suspects in N22m fraud, recover ATM cards, rifleAI powers 55% of African cybercrimes, INTERPOL 2026 report revealsInterpol noted how NIMC’s 2024 policy mandating that every SIM card be linked to a unique and verifiable national identification number had significantly reduced fraud.Notably, cybercriminals exploited vulnerabilities in KYC enforcement and the registration of SIM cards under false names, with the help of AI.“Ransomware detections in 2025 provided by TrendAI reached record levels in Cabo Verde, with 16,997 detections, the second highest in Africa, while Nigeria recorded 5,822, reflecting the country’s dual role as an origin and target of cybercrime,” the report reads.The Interpol report noted that the sophistication of these BEC campaigns has increased dramatically, with AI now used to generate highly convincing email correspondence that mimics executive tone, internal jargon, and signature styles with near-perfect fidelity.In 2025, TrendAI data indicated that 70 per cent of BEC detections originated in South Africa and 29 per cent from Nigeria.The report described BEC as the financial engine of transnational cybercrime.Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. Cases include deepfake nudes of public figures and voice cloning for financial fraud. AI generates highly personalised, grammatically perfect emails, messages, or voice notes that mimic trusted contacts, executives, banks, or relatives. It automates reconnaissance and scales attacks. This drives credential harvesting and fraud on bank and fintech platforms.It is noteworthy that President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission Act, which prescribes stiff penalties for the breach of data privacy and cybercrimes.Another threat area is in crypto transactions, which were valued at $205 billion between July 2024 and July 2025. Nigeria accounted for $92 billion out of this figure, while investors became targets of fraud. South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria were the countries with the highest vulnerabilities for data breaches.Related NewsWorld Bank warns developing countries to embrace AI or be left behindJigawa police arrest suspects in N22m fraud, recover ATM cards, rifleAI powers 55% of African cybercrimes, INTERPOL 2026 report revealsInterpol noted how NIMC’s 2024 policy mandating that every SIM card be linked to a unique and verifiable national identification number had significantly reduced fraud.Notably, cybercriminals exploited vulnerabilities in KYC enforcement and the registration of SIM cards under false names, with the help of AI.“Ransomware detections in 2025 provided by TrendAI reached record levels in Cabo Verde, with 16,997 detections, the second highest in Africa, while Nigeria recorded 5,822, reflecting the country’s dual role as an origin and target of cybercrime,” the report reads.The Interpol report noted that the sophistication of these BEC campaigns has increased dramatically, with AI now used to generate highly convincing email correspondence that mimics executive tone, internal jargon, and signature styles with near-perfect fidelity.In 2025, TrendAI data indicated that 70 per cent of BEC detections originated in South Africa and 29 per cent from Nigeria.The report described BEC as the financial engine of transnational cybercrime.Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. It is noteworthy that President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission Act, which prescribes stiff penalties for the breach of data privacy and cybercrimes.Another threat area is in crypto transactions, which were valued at $205 billion between July 2024 and July 2025. Nigeria accounted for $92 billion out of this figure, while investors became targets of fraud. South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria were the countries with the highest vulnerabilities for data breaches.Related NewsWorld Bank warns developing countries to embrace AI or be left behindJigawa police arrest suspects in N22m fraud, recover ATM cards, rifleAI powers 55% of African cybercrimes, INTERPOL 2026 report revealsInterpol noted how NIMC’s 2024 policy mandating that every SIM card be linked to a unique and verifiable national identification number had significantly reduced fraud.Notably, cybercriminals exploited vulnerabilities in KYC enforcement and the registration of SIM cards under false names, with the help of AI.“Ransomware detections in 2025 provided by TrendAI reached record levels in Cabo Verde, with 16,997 detections, the second highest in Africa, while Nigeria recorded 5,822, reflecting the country’s dual role as an origin and target of cybercrime,” the report reads.The Interpol report noted that the sophistication of these BEC campaigns has increased dramatically, with AI now used to generate highly convincing email correspondence that mimics executive tone, internal jargon, and signature styles with near-perfect fidelity.In 2025, TrendAI data indicated that 70 per cent of BEC detections originated in South Africa and 29 per cent from Nigeria.The report described BEC as the financial engine of transnational cybercrime.Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. Another threat area is in crypto transactions, which were valued at $205 billion between July 2024 and July 2025. Nigeria accounted for $92 billion out of this figure, while investors became targets of fraud. South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria were the countries with the highest vulnerabilities for data breaches.Related NewsWorld Bank warns developing countries to embrace AI or be left behindJigawa police arrest suspects in N22m fraud, recover ATM cards, rifleAI powers 55% of African cybercrimes, INTERPOL 2026 report revealsInterpol noted how NIMC’s 2024 policy mandating that every SIM card be linked to a unique and verifiable national identification number had significantly reduced fraud.Notably, cybercriminals exploited vulnerabilities in KYC enforcement and the registration of SIM cards under false names, with the help of AI.“Ransomware detections in 2025 provided by TrendAI reached record levels in Cabo Verde, with 16,997 detections, the second highest in Africa, while Nigeria recorded 5,822, reflecting the country’s dual role as an origin and target of cybercrime,” the report reads.The Interpol report noted that the sophistication of these BEC campaigns has increased dramatically, with AI now used to generate highly convincing email correspondence that mimics executive tone, internal jargon, and signature styles with near-perfect fidelity.In 2025, TrendAI data indicated that 70 per cent of BEC detections originated in South Africa and 29 per cent from Nigeria.The report described BEC as the financial engine of transnational cybercrime.Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. Interpol noted how NIMC’s 2024 policy mandating that every SIM card be linked to a unique and verifiable national identification number had significantly reduced fraud.Notably, cybercriminals exploited vulnerabilities in KYC enforcement and the registration of SIM cards under false names, with the help of AI.“Ransomware detections in 2025 provided by TrendAI reached record levels in Cabo Verde, with 16,997 detections, the second highest in Africa, while Nigeria recorded 5,822, reflecting the country’s dual role as an origin and target of cybercrime,” the report reads.The Interpol report noted that the sophistication of these BEC campaigns has increased dramatically, with AI now used to generate highly convincing email correspondence that mimics executive tone, internal jargon, and signature styles with near-perfect fidelity.In 2025, TrendAI data indicated that 70 per cent of BEC detections originated in South Africa and 29 per cent from Nigeria.The report described BEC as the financial engine of transnational cybercrime.Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. Notably, cybercriminals exploited vulnerabilities in KYC enforcement and the registration of SIM cards under false names, with the help of AI.“Ransomware detections in 2025 provided by TrendAI reached record levels in Cabo Verde, with 16,997 detections, the second highest in Africa, while Nigeria recorded 5,822, reflecting the country’s dual role as an origin and target of cybercrime,” the report reads.The Interpol report noted that the sophistication of these BEC campaigns has increased dramatically, with AI now used to generate highly convincing email correspondence that mimics executive tone, internal jargon, and signature styles with near-perfect fidelity.In 2025, TrendAI data indicated that 70 per cent of BEC detections originated in South Africa and 29 per cent from Nigeria.The report described BEC as the financial engine of transnational cybercrime.Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. “Ransomware detections in 2025 provided by TrendAI reached record levels in Cabo Verde, with 16,997 detections, the second highest in Africa, while Nigeria recorded 5,822, reflecting the country’s dual role as an origin and target of cybercrime,” the report reads.The Interpol report noted that the sophistication of these BEC campaigns has increased dramatically, with AI now used to generate highly convincing email correspondence that mimics executive tone, internal jargon, and signature styles with near-perfect fidelity.In 2025, TrendAI data indicated that 70 per cent of BEC detections originated in South Africa and 29 per cent from Nigeria.The report described BEC as the financial engine of transnational cybercrime.Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. The Interpol report noted that the sophistication of these BEC campaigns has increased dramatically, with AI now used to generate highly convincing email correspondence that mimics executive tone, internal jargon, and signature styles with near-perfect fidelity.In 2025, TrendAI data indicated that 70 per cent of BEC detections originated in South Africa and 29 per cent from Nigeria.The report described BEC as the financial engine of transnational cybercrime.Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. In 2025, TrendAI data indicated that 70 per cent of BEC detections originated in South Africa and 29 per cent from Nigeria.The report described BEC as the financial engine of transnational cybercrime.Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. The report described BEC as the financial engine of transnational cybercrime.Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. Microsoft-identified threat actors based in South Africa, active since 2017, primarily target US-based enterprises and use compromised email accounts and money mule networks to divert funds to offshore accounts.The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. The NIMC must, therefore, utilise mechanisms under its control to beat back these threats. This would include strengthening legal frameworks to address algorithmic accountability, upgrading law enforcement and digital forensics capabilities, and fostering strict public-private cooperation between banks, telecom operators, and tech platforms.AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. AI-enabled cybercrimes must be tackled with sophisticated AI-driven techniques. Their AI checks indicate the imperative to amend the Cybercrimes Act and finalise dedicated artificial intelligence governance bills to explicitly criminalise deepfake fraud, voice cloning, and automated phishing.In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. In addition, the National Assembly should amend the Evidence Act to establish clear standards for authenticating and validating AI-generated or digital criminal evidence in court.Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. Vulnerabilities being exploited by felons to bypass NIN and SIM registration verifications demand stiffer countermeasures.Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes. Nigeria needs a National AI Cybercrime Intelligence Centre to coordinate the efforts of anti-graft agencies with advanced equipment, such as digital forensics tools, to track crypto-laundering and dark web activities. It needs to collaborate with the justice sector to enforce penalties for cybercrimes.