Nigeria has recorded the world’s sharpest rise in cyberattacks, as new data shows Africa has become the most targeted region globally for cyber threats.
According to the July 2025 Global Threat Intelligence Report by Check Point Software Technologies, organisations in Africa faced an average of 3,374 attacks per week, the highest worldwide, while Nigerian organisations endured an alarming 6,101 weekly attacks, representing a 67 percent year-on-year surge, which made it the most attacked country in Africa and one of the most vulnerable worldwide.
Kenya followed with 3,468 weekly attacks, Angola with 3,731, and South Africa with 2,113.
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Telecommunications, Government, and Financial Services were the top three targeted sectors in Africa, followed by Energy and Utilities. The surge comes as African countries accelerate digital transformation but struggle to match it with adequate cybersecurity defences.
“While Africa rapidly rolls out digital strategies, its cybersecurity defences are lagging. Prevention-first strategies, powered by AI, are the only way to stay ahead,” said Lorna Hardie, regional director: Africa, Check Point Software Technologies.
Globally, organisations faced an average of 1,947 cyber-attacks per week in July, which is up 5 percent year-on-year, with the Education sector bearing the brunt at 4,210 weekly attacks, followed by Government (2,577) and Healthcare (2,538). The agriculture sector saw the sharpest rise, up 115 percent year-on-year.
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Check Point stated that prevention-first, AI-powered security is the only sustainable way for organisations to defend against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
Ransomware incidents also spiked, with 487 reported in July, a 41 percent increase led by three major groups: Qilin (17 percent of all cases), Akira (9 percent), and Play (6 percent). North America accounted for 56 percent of ransomware cases, while Europe saw 24 percent.
“These attacks are hitting every corner of the globe and every type of organisation,” said Lotem Finkelstein, director of Threat Intelligence at Check Point.
