Focused on several criminal activities which target both organisations and individuals in the region, the action resulted in the arrest of 1,209 suspected cybercriminals.

Kaspersky has contributed to the operation, having shared its threat intelligence data and indicators of compromise (IoCs) on the threats investigated.

Running from June to August 2025, Serengeti 2.0 brought together investigators from 18 African countries and the United Kingdom to tackle high-impact cybercrimes including ransomware, online scams and business email compromise (BEC).

The crackdown recovered USD$ 97.4 million and dismantled 11,432 malicious infrastructures which were involved in cybercrimes targeting nearly 88,000 victims.

As a regular contributor to INTERPOL-led operations, Kaspersky empowered the law enforcement agency with its threat intelligence data on the cyber syndicates investigated.

The company has shared its data on regional threats, including phishing websites threatening users in Africa, botnet and malicious DDoS infrastructure, as well as ransomware attack statistics.

For the period from January-May 2025, Kaspersky products detected about 10,000 unique ransomware samples across the region.

Additionally, at the request of INTERPOL, Kaspersky’s Threat Research expertise center researched a cryptocurrency investment scheme, which tricked users into investing their money into a fake business, and identified new network IoCs which enabled law enforcers to investigate the scammers further.

The investment fraud scheme was cracked down by Zambian authorities, who identified 65,000 victims falling prey to the fraudulent campaign, losing an estimated USD 300 million.

As many as 15 individuals were arrested by the Zambian authorities as a result of the probe, with investigations still ongoing to track down overseas collaborators.

The first edition of operation Serengeti was held from September-October 2024 and cracked down on cybercrimes such as ransomware operations, digital extortion and online scams.

These syndicates activities caused nearly USD 193 million in damages and, as a result of an effort uniting nearly 20 participating countries, more than 1,000 suspected cybercriminals were then arrested.

Valdecy Urquiza, secretary general of INTERPOL, said:

“Each INTERPOL-coordinated operation builds on the last, deepening cooperation, increasing information sharing and developing investigative skills across member countries. With more contributions and shared expertise, the results keep growing in scale and impact. This global network is stronger than ever, delivering real outcomes and safeguarding victims.”

“The African continent’s rapid digitalisation can be a double-edge sword: whilst providing space for new development opportunities on the one hand, it is bringing emerging risks on the other,” noted Yuliya Shlychkova, Vice-President of Government Affairs & Public Policy at Kaspersky.

“It is extremely important to drive effective private-public partnership which can enhance existing cooperation arrangements and create new ones in the quest of building a healthy cyberspace in the region.

The successful example of INTERPOL-coordinated operations shows how effective permanent dialogue and data exchange can be between private players and law enforcement in curbing cybercrime rates. By scaling out such initiatives, we can make sure that the digital world is a space for opportunity and not for threats.”

As evidenced in INTERPOL’s latest Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2025, which comprises Kaspersky’s threat data, while Africa has made significant progress in cybersecurity recently, cybercrime is still accelerating across the continent.

The trend among other things is facilitated by the proliferation of AI-driven crimes and an increase in the use of turnkey attack infrastructure.

With limited cross-border cooperation capacities recognised by nearly 90% of African agencies, the significance of streamlined multistakeholder efforts to respond to evolving cyber risks is immense.

Thanks to INTERPOL-coordinated actions, the African region has recently witnessed a number of fruitful missions that resulted in the demolition of malicious infrastructure and the apprehension of responsible attackers.

In addition to the two editions of operation Serengeti, Kaspersky has previously partaken in the Africa Cyber Surge, Africa Cyber Surge II, and Red Card operations, all of which sought to build a safer cyber environment in the African region.

Techeconomy gathered that Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Seychelles, Tanzania, United Kingdom, Zambia and Zimbabwe, participated in the operations.

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The UK Government invested more than £300 million delivering programmes and peacekeeping to bolster African nations’ stability and security last year, to the benefit of people in Africa and the UK.

Baroness Lucy Neville-Rolfe DBE CMG, minister of State in the UK Cabinet Office, is in Nigeria to cement the UK-Nigeria partnership and demonstrate the UK’s commitment to the security of the wider region.

She will see first-hand the impact funding is having in Nigeria and how the two countries are tackling shared security challenges in West Africa, particularly the threat posed by cyber-attacks.

The visit comes days after the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership talks where the two countries reached agreements on cybersecurity, defence cooperation, counter-terrorism, human rights and civil-military cooperation.

As part of the investment, more than £15 million went to strengthening Nigeria’s security. which, as a result of the UK’s direct support, benefitted Nigerian and British nationals by detecting and seizing more than 3 tonnes of illegal drugs.

In North Eastern Nigeria, UK funding has also helped more than 500 people fleeing violent groups re-settle into communities.

It supported vocational training, religious counselling, psycho-social support, drug counselling and numeracy and literacy lessons.

The UK and Nigeria’s cooperation on regional threats to stability included the contribution from the UK to UN efforts to stabilise communities in the Lake Chad Basin after a decade of violence by extremist groups.

Almost 11 million people across Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger have been affected by this violence so the support provided is vital.

Speaking in Abuja Minister of State Baroness Neville-Rolfe said:

“The United Kingdom and Nigeria are firm security and economic partners. I am proud that, through the CSSF, the UK has been able to play such a valuable role in bolstering Nigeria’s security.

“Investment in Nigeria and the broader region has been instrumental in tackling some important challenges, from drug smuggling to cybercrime and human displacement. These challenges are transnational, so by supporting our partners in Nigeria and West Africa we are also helping to safeguard people in the UK.

“Closer collaboration is vital in ensuring we can respond to threats and to promote a free, open, peaceful and secure cyberspace, which is why the UK and Nigeria recently committed to working more closely together to tackle cybercrime.

“As the largest economy in Africa, Nigeria’s stability and security is vital to the security of the wider region and the UK. I look forward to our partnership strengthening as we continue to work together on shared challenges in the years ahead.”

Dr. Richard Montgomery, the British High Commission to Nigeria, said:

“I am delighted that the UK/Nigeria partnership continues to grow stronger, including on important issues of security and stability. The UK will remain a committed friend, working with the Nigerian Government to respond effectively to domestic and regional security challenges.   

“The UK’s Conflict, Security, and Stability Fund offers practical assistance that is making a real difference in Nigeria, from tackling human traffickers to supporting the resettlement of people fleeing violent groups in the northeast of the country. The UK is proud to stand with Nigeria as a close partner in these endeavours.

“We look forward to developing our partnership further, working together to tackle mutual challenges including cyber threats, serious organised crime, and violent extremism.

Bolstering Nigeria’s and other West African countries’ resilience to cybercrime is a central aim of the UK’s investment in the region.

Last year, the UK contributed funding to the Africa Joint Operations Against Cybercrime and strengthened the capability of African law enforcement agencies to fight cybercrime.

The funding enabled the 25-country Africa Cyber Surge II operation, resulting in the arrest of 14 suspected cybercriminals and identified 20,674 suspicious cyber networks, linked to financial losses of more than $40 million.

The UK is also supporting capacity building for Nigerian judges and prosecutors across Nigerian states to support investigations involving digital evidence and to successfully prosecute and deter cyber offences.

During the recent UK-Nigeria Security & Defence Partnership talks, the UK Deputy National Security Advisor and the Nigerian National Security Advisor signed a memorandum of understanding on cyber cooperation that commits the two nations to closer working to tackle mutual cyber threats.

Further support from the UK this year will integrate overseas and UK security and further tackle transnational challenges such as smuggling, illicit finances and large-scale migration.

It will strengthen the UK’s ability to export world-leading expertise to international partners such as Nigeria and other West African countries.

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