Across Africa, the mobile phone has become more than a communication tool. It is a bank, a marketplace, a classroom, and, for millions, a bridge to opportunity. The continent's digital progress has been remarkable, turning connectivity into a lifeline for inclusion, trade, and financial growth.
Yet as digital inclusion expands, so does its shadow economy . Mobile fraud is growing in both scale and sophistication, eroding the trust that underpins Africa's mobile revolution. Fraudsters are evolving faster than the systems built to stop them, exploiting the same accessibility that once made mobile payments Africa's greatest financial innovation.
The global cost of cybercrime is projected to exceed USD 15 trillion by 2029 , and Africa is no exception. The continent's fast-growing fintech and mobile ecosystems have become fertile ground for social engineering scams, SIM swaps, fake investment platforms, and identity theft - all designed to exploit human trust more than technology itself.
