Africa Emerges as Most Fraud-Exposed Region Globally, New Sumsub Study Reveals

In collaboration with Statista, Sumsub released its 2nd annual Global Fraud Index, showcasing fraud trends across 100+ countries

JOHANNESBURG, GAUTENG, SOUTH AFRICA, October 13, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Africa remains the world’s most exposed region to fraud, with an average regional score of 3.84 on the Sumsub 2025 Global Fraud Index, significantly higher than the global average of 2.79. The findings underline the continent’s continued vulnerability to digital and financial fraud, even as global efforts to strengthen fraud defences accelerate.

The 2025 Global Fraud Index study was produced in collaboration with Statista, CryptoUK, Digital Assets Association, Vixio Regulatory Intelligence and MENA Fintech Association. The Index, now in its second edition, assessed 112 countries—up from 103 in 2024—across key pillars including anti-fraud policy frameworks and infrastructure, fraudulent activity rates, resource accessibility, and economic resilience. While the Middle East (2.25) and Europe (2.13) demonstrated stronger fraud protection systems, Africa ranked lowest worldwide, followed by Asia Pacific (3.50) and the Americas (2.83).

"The 2025 Sumsub Global Fraud Index marks a pivotal moment for digital economies — especially across the Middle East and Africa. As financial ecosystems scale at record speed, we need fraud detection that moves at the same pace. The sophistication of threats is growing in tandem with transaction volumes, making proactive digital resilience — built on intelligence, interoperability, and collaboration — absolutely essential,” highlights Nameer Khan, Chairman - MENA Fintech Association.

Within Africa, Mauritius emerged as the most fraud-protected country, ranking 22nd globally, ahead of Botswana (46), Morocco (50), Tunisia (67) and South Africa (74). At the other end of the scale, Nigeria (110), Tanzania (108), Uganda (107), Rwanda (105) and Ethiopia (102) were ranked among the least protected countries globally, reflecting weaker institutional responses, low resource accessibility, and higher exposure to online and financial crime.

While South Africa scored the highest in the region for the unemployment rate in the 2025 Index, its position in the global ranking has improved significantly since 2024: the country climbed 9 positions, from 83 to 72 among 100+ countries assessed.

The 2025 edition marks the first time Senegal, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Nigeria were assessed, broadening the study’s African coverage. Across the region, Senegal ranked lowest for resource accessibility, highlighting systemic constraints in human and technical capacity to combat emerging fraud typologies.

“Fraud is evolving faster than many national systems can respond,” says Hannes Bezuidenhout, VP of Sales for Africa at Sumsub. He further states that “Africa’s digital acceleration presents immense opportunity — but also exposes structural weaknesses that must be addressed through policy harmonisation and enhanced technology-driven defences.”

Globally, the 5 most protected countries are Luxembourg, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and the Netherlands, reflecting strong institutional safeguards, high digital literacy, and robust regulatory frameworks. In contrast, Pakistan (112), Indonesia (111), and Nigeria (110) occupied the bottom positions, underscoring persistent governance and capacity challenges.

In the Middle East, Israel recorded the region’s lowest fraud exposure, while Lebanon had the highest. The Americas saw Canada as the most secure and Brazil as the most vulnerable, while the United States fell by 36 positions but maintained its global leadership in AI readiness—a key factor in automated fraud detection. In the Asia Pacific, New Zealand led regional performance, while Pakistan was the least protected globally for the second consecutive year.

The report also highlighted major global shifts between 2024 and 2025. Singapore, last year’s top performer, dropped from #1 to #10, while Morocco climbed 27 places to rank 50th, and Thailand improved 25 positions to 33rd, reflecting targeted anti-fraud reforms. Conversely, Malaysia fell 52 places, suggesting declining resilience amid rising digital threats.

Sumsub’s study emphasizes that Africa’s weak fraud protection index does not solely reflect poor performance but rather underscores the urgent need for investment in digital infrastructure, coordinated regulatory frameworks, and capacity building across both public and private sectors.

As Africa deepens its digital and financial integration, the report’s findings signal both urgency and opportunity. Building resilient systems will require greater collaboration among governments, financial institutions, and technology providers to modernise regulatory frameworks, enhance data-sharing, and embed fraud prevention into the continent’s fast-expanding digital economy. Bridging these structural gaps will be key for Africa to strengthen trust, safeguard innovation, and converge with global protection standards.

“This year's Global Fraud Index shows that fraud protection isn't about geography, it's about governance. At the same time, fraudsters are getting their hands on increasingly powerful AI tools. What was once a niche threat has become commonplace”, said Timothy Owens, Tech and AI Industry Expert, and Senior Research Lead Technology and TeleCommunications at Statista. “For technology leaders, the message is clear: treat fraud exposure like system uptime. It requires constant monitoring. Verification systems, information sharing between organisations, and robust incident response aren't optional anymore; they're fundamental components of operating in today's digital environment.”

To access the free Global Fraud Index study and make deeper analysis with countries’ comparisons, please visit this page. You can learn more about the study’s methodology here.

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About Sumsub

Sumsub is a leading full-cycle verification platform that enables fraud-free, scalable compliance. Its adaptive, no-code solution covers everything from identity and business verification to ongoing monitoring – quickly adjusting to evolving risks, regulations, and market demands.

Recognized as a Leader by Gartner, Liminal, and KuppingerCole, Sumsub combines seamless integration with advanced fraud prevention to deliver industry-leading performance.

Over 4,000 clients—including Bitpanda, Wirex, Avis, Bybit, Vodafone, Duolingo, Kaizen Gaming, and TransferGo—trust Sumsub to streamline verification, prevent fraud, and drive growth. The platform's methodology follows leading global AML standards and regulations, and Sumsub has extensively engaged with leading research and public institutions like the UN, Statista, and INTERPOL.

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