A recent survey by KnowBe4 AFRICA has revealed that 58% of respondents are very concerned about cybercrime, almost doubling from 29% in 2023. Fear of online fraud and financial losses remains a key issue, with the increasing use of AI-assisted cyber threats intensifying concerns.
Cybercrime incidents in Africa have increased, with ransomware, digital extortion, and online scams becoming more frequent. South Africa lost $3 billion to digital banking and mobile app fraud in 2023, according to the SA Banking Risk Information Centre. Cybercriminals use advanced methods, including AI-generated content to impersonate officials and executives, while social engineering attacks continue to evolve.
Survey methodology and findings
The KnowBe4 survey, conducted annually since 2019, polled 800 adults across seven African countries: Morocco, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Kenya, and Botswana. It assessed respondents’ cybersecurity awareness, digital habits, and online security practices.
Anna Collard, SVP Content Strategy and Evangelist at KnowBe4 AFRICA, stated, “The goal of the survey was to assess respondents’ cybersecurity awareness, digital habits and online security practices.” The findings indicate that while some cybersecurity challenges remain, new threats such as deepfake technology are emerging.
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Growth of mobile banking and cybersecurity risks
The survey found that Africans are more concerned about cybercrime than they were two years ago. The percentage of those who said they were “very concerned” nearly doubled from 29% in 2023 to 58% in 2025. The primary concern remains online fraud and financial losses.
The survey also highlighted the increasing use of smartphones in Africa. Mobile data usage rose from 71% in 2023 to 75% in 2025. Additionally, the use of mobile financial services, including payments and banking, increased significantly from 63% to 85%.
“The rise in mobile banking and payments indicates greater financial inclusion through digital means, which is generally positive for economic development in Africa,” said Collard. “However, an increase in mobile banking and payments also increases the attack surface for cybercriminals, which underscores the importance of mobile-centric security education.”
WhatsApp for work and security risks
The survey also found that WhatsApp is increasingly being used for work-related purposes. Its work-related usage increased from 89% in the previous survey to 93% in 2025. Other popular platforms used for work include email, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Zoom.
“The increase in WhatsApp usage for work shows a further blurring of lines between users’ personal and professional lives,” said Collard. “This can lead to increased risks, as personal devices may not have the same level of security as corporate-managed devices.”
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Declining privacy awareness
The survey found that African users are becoming more comfortable sharing their personal information. The percentage of respondents who said they were “very unlikely” to share personal data dropped from 29% in 2023 to 14% in 2025. Additionally, 14% of respondents reported being comfortable sharing personal information, with 8% willing to do so in exchange for benefits like discounts, and 6% sharing their information regularly.
“This is a concerning trend and reveals the need for more training on personal security,” said Collard. “This is further emphasised by the lack of understanding among respondents about what constitutes a strong password and multi-factor authentication.”
The survey found that understanding of strong passwords slightly declined from 62% in 2023 to 58% in 2025. Knowledge of multi-factor authentication remained at approximately 58%.
Addressing cybersecurity challenges
“The latest survey aims to identify key vulnerabilities that should be a priority for individuals, organisations and policy makers,” stated Collard. She added that the survey highlights areas that should be addressed in 2025 to improve cybersecurity strategies.
“Despite increased concern about cybercrime among the survey’s respondents, there are still gaps in knowledge and practice that need to be addressed to improve overall cybersecurity posture across the continent,” she concluded.
