Africans face significant challenges related to fraud and identity documents, which impact governance, financial systems, and social services.
- Identity theft and document forgery are significant challenges in Africa
- Weak identification systems in many African countries make it easier for fraudsters to manipulate official records
- Biometric fraud remained the most prevalent fraud type in 2024, while document fraud attempts saw a sharp rise
Fraudsters are exploiting weaknesses in Africa’s verification and security systems, targeting vulnerable documents, platforms and institutions to infiltrate critical systems.
One of the primary issues is the prevalence of identity theft and document forgery, where fraudsters manipulate official records to access financial services, travel documents, or even voting rights.
Many African countries struggle with weak identification systems, making it easier for criminals to exploit loopholes in national databases.
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The impersonation of the African Union’s Chairperson using deepfake technology is a stark example of how these attacks can erode trust in financial and civic institutions across the region.
The digital fraud report
Last year, the Digital Identity Fraud in Africa Report published by Smile ID noted that in the last two years, an overwhelming number of fraud attacks were directed at National ID cards, which accounted for 80% of all document fraud attacks.
According to the 2025 Report, these attacks have become more sophisticated as fraudsters are using advanced technologies, such as generative AI and deepfakes, to exploit vulnerabilities with greater precision.
The report revealed that attackers rapidly exploit vulnerabilities, launching massive attacks through a single entry point.
In 2024, biometric fraud was the most common type, peaking at 16% in Q2 and stabilizing at 13% in Q4. Conversely, document fraud attempts surged in the second half, rising from 4% in Q1 and Q2 to 7% in Q3 and 9% in Q4, representing a 125% annual increase
This surge highlights how fraudsters are increasingly targeting weaknesses in document-based KYC systems as biometric defenses strengthen.
However, quarterly data from 2024 shows a steady decline in combined biometric and document fraud attempts, dropping from 16% in Q1 to 9% in Q4
The report presented below, outlined the most targeted ID documents in Africa
| Rank | ID Document | % use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | National ID | 27 |
| 2 | Driver’s License | 24 |
| 3 | Passports | 20 |
| 4 | Work permits/Alien cards | 19 |
| 5 | Voters’ ID | 14 |
The most targeted documents for fraud include national IDs, driver’s licenses, passports, work permits, and voter IDs.
National IDs are the most targeted at 27%, as they provide citizenship, benefits, and identity verification.
Driver’s licenses follow at 24%, being exploited for identity theft, driving offenses, and fake licenses.
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Passports are targeted at 20%, likely for human trafficking, identity theft, and international crime.
Work permits and alien cards are targeted at 19% to exploit immigration systems, facilitating human trafficking, forced labor, and unauthorized employment.
Voter IDs are targeted at 14% to influence elections, commit voter fraud, and disrupt democratic processes.
These rankings indicate that fraudsters prioritize documents providing identity verification, citizenship, or access to benefits and services.
To counter these attacks, several African countries are adopting digital ID systems to enhance security and reduce fraud in identity verification.
