South Africa and Nigeria ranked among the top 20 countries worldwide where cybercrime complaints were filed last year, research by the US FBI found.

Global cybercrime losses surged to a record $20.8 billion in 2025, a 26% increase from 2024, with more than 1 million complaints filed. While sub-Saharan Africa’s two biggest economies reported a lower number of complaints than other countries — Canada, India, and Japan topped the list — “their inclusion points to a growing exposure tied to expanding digital and financial ecosystems,” noted Business Insider Africa.

Nigeria and South Africa were both removed from a global financial crime watch list in October, indicating some progress in tackling illicit money flows.