A sweeping, month-long cybercrime operation across Africa has resulted in 574 arrests and the recovery of nearly USD 3 million, marking one of the continent’s most significant coordinated actions against digital crime to date.
Announced by INTERPOL, Operation Sentinel (27 October – 27 November 2025) targeted some of the most damaging and fast-growing cyber threats facing African economies: business email compromise (BEC), ransomware, and digital extortion. The operation brought together law enforcement agencies from 19 African countries, backed by international partners and private-sector cybersecurity experts.
Why it matters: cybercrime is no longer a peripheral risk in Africa. It is now a mainstream economic and national security issue impacting banks, energy companies, governments, and everyday citizens.
A Coordinated Response to Escalating Cyber Threats
According to INTERPOL, Operation Sentinel focused on crime types highlighted as critical risks in the 2025 Africa Cyber Threat Assessment Report. Over just one month:
- More than 6,000 malicious links were taken down
- Six ransomware variants were successfully decrypted
- Investigated cases were linked to over USD 21 million in attempted or actual losses
These figures underline how cybercriminal groups are scaling their operations across borders, while African law enforcement is increasingly matching that scale with collaboration and technical capability.
High-Impact Cases: Millions Saved, Networks Dismantled
Several cases stood out for both their sophistication and the speed of the response.
In Senegal, authorities intervened just in time to stop a USD 7.9 million business email compromise attack against a major petroleum company. Attackers had infiltrated internal email systems and impersonated senior executives to authorize a fraudulent wire transfer. Thanks to rapid coordination between the company, banks, and law enforcement, the funds were frozen before withdrawal.
In Ghana, a financial institution suffered a ransomware attack that encrypted 100 terabytes of data and stole approximately USD 120,000. Ghanaian investigators conducted advanced malware analysis, identified the ransomware strain, and developed a custom decryption tool, recovering nearly 30 terabytes of critical data. Multiple suspects were arrested.
Another Ghana-led investigation dismantled a cross-border cyber-fraud network operating between Ghana and Nigeria. The group used professional-looking websites and mobile apps impersonating well-known fast-food brands. More than 200 victims lost over USD 400,000. Authorities arrested ten suspects, seized over 100 digital devices, and shut down 30 fraudulent servers.
In Benin, law enforcement shut down 43 malicious domains and 4,318 scam-linked social media accounts, leading to 106 arrests tied to extortion and online fraud schemes.
Meanwhile, Cameroon authorities responded within hours to reports of an online vehicle sales scam. Investigators traced the phishing campaign to a compromised server and issued an emergency bank freeze, preventing further financial losses.
Industry Perspective: A Turning Point for African Cyber Defense
Neal Jetton, INTERPOL’s Director of Cybercrime, summarized the significance of the operation:
“The scale and sophistication of cyberattacks across Africa are accelerating, especially against critical sectors like finance and energy. The outcomes from Operation Sentinel reflect the commitment of African law enforcement agencies, working in close coordination with international partners.”
From a cybersecurity industry standpoint, this operation signals a shift: African nations are no longer just victims of cybercrime trends—they are becoming active disruptors of global cybercriminal ecosystems.
The Role of Public–Private Partnerships
Operation Sentinel was supported by private-sector partners including Team Cymru, The Shadowserver Foundation, Trend Micro, TRM Labs, and Uppsala Security. These organizations provided threat intelligence, IP tracing, malware analysis, and assistance in freezing illicit financial flows.
This model – law enforcement working hand-in-hand with cybersecurity firms – is increasingly seen as essential. Many of the same techniques used in these investigations are also part of enterprise-grade cybersecurity services offered by providers such as Saintynet Cybersecurity, particularly in threat detection, incident response, and ransomware readiness.
What Organizations Should Do Now: 10 Practical Actions
For businesses, governments, and institutions—especially across Africa and the Middle East—Operation Sentinel offers clear lessons:
- Prioritize email security to combat BEC attacks, including MFA and phishing-resistant authentication.
- Regularly back up critical data and test restoration procedures to reduce ransomware impact.
- Deploy continuous monitoring for malicious links, domains, and suspicious network activity.
- Conduct ransomware tabletop exercises with executives and IT teams.
- Implement strong access controls and least-privilege policies across systems.
- Train employees to recognize phishing, fake invoices, and executive impersonation attempts, structured awareness programs like those at training.saintynet.com can significantly reduce human risk.
- Monitor brand abuse online, including fake apps and impersonation websites.
- Establish rapid incident-response playbooks with clear escalation paths.
- Work closely with banks and payment providers to enable fast account freezes.
- Engage trusted cybersecurity partners and stay informed through platforms like Cybercory.com, which regularly covers ransomware, fraud, and regional cyber threats.
Why This Matters Beyond Africa
While Operation Sentinel focused on Africa, its implications are global. Cybercrime networks do not respect borders, and attacks launched – or laundered – through one region often impact organizations worldwide.
For MEA-based enterprises, the message is clear: regional cooperation works, but prevention inside organizations remains the first and strongest line of defense.
Conclusion
Operation Sentinel stands as a powerful example of what coordinated action, intelligence sharing, and rapid response can achieve against cybercrime. With 574 arrests, millions recovered, and major ransomware and fraud networks disrupted, African law enforcement has sent a clear signal: cybercriminals are no longer operating with impunity.
The challenge now is sustaining this momentum by strengthening organizational cyber resilience, investing in skills and awareness, and deepening collaboration between the public and private sectors.
