Morocco ranked third among African countries for the number of recorded cyberattacks, accounting for about 10.6% of the continent’s reported cybersecurity incidents, according to a recent report by Mastercard.
The report found that the number of cyberattacks across Africa had increased by more than 421% by the end of 2025 compared with 2016. It also estimated that cybercrime caused about $5 billion in direct losses across the continent in 2025.
Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco and Kenya accounted for 54.7% of the cyberattacks recorded across Africa in 2025, the report said.
The technology sector was the most targeted, accounting for about 15.7% of recorded attacks, followed by the public sector and financial services. Malware was among the most frequently used attack methods, followed by ransomware and email-based social engineering.
Mastercard described Morocco as one of Africa’s most digitally connected economies, citing its high internet connectivity, strong financial services sector and growing role as a regional technology hub linking North Africa with Europe.
Cyber threats targeting Morocco have been driven more by geopolitical motives than by financial gain, the report said, noting that public institutions holding sensitive information about Moroccan citizens had been targeted in recent years.
The report also said Morocco had developed some of the continent’s more institutionalized cybersecurity governance structures, with an emphasis on protecting critical information infrastructure, mandatory incident reporting and data protection enforcement.
Across Africa, however, a shortage of digital skills remains a major challenge. The report estimated that the continent had around 200,000 unfilled cybersecurity positions and found that 82% of African institutions faced shortages in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity skills.
Most law enforcement agencies and national systems also lack behavioral analytics and automated response capabilities to counter cyberattacks powered by artificial intelligence, according to the report.
To address these gaps, Mastercard recommended expanding professional training and practical learning opportunities supported by industry, developing data centers and secure cross-border data transfer mechanisms, and adopting flexible regulatory frameworks aligned with international standards and adapted to African economies.
It also called for stronger regional public-private cooperation, including real-time exchanges of information and threat intelligence and the creation of joint defense networks.
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