• Hausa Edition
  • Podcast
  • Conferences
  • LeVogue Magazine
  • Business News
  • Print Advert Rates
  • Online Advert Rates
  • Contact Us
Sunday, July 27, 2025
Leadership Newspapers
Read in Hausa
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Leadership Newspapers
No Result
View All Result

Biometric Fraud Triples To 15% In West Africa

by Royal Ibeh
6 months ago
in Business
Biometric Fraud
Share on WhatsAppShare on FacebookShare on XTelegram

Smile ID has released its 2025 Digital Identity Fraud in Africa Report, revealing a sharp rise in biometric fraud across the continent.

Advertisement

West Africa saw the most significant increase, with biometric fraud attempts soaring to 15 per cent in 2024, three times higher than the under five per cent recorded in 2023.  The surge is attributed to growing reliance on biometric verification and the increasing sophistication of fraudsters exploiting security gaps.

Drawing from over 110 million identity verification checks across Central, East, West, and Southern Africa, the report highlights both progress and challenges in digital identity security.

While biometric verification has helped reduce overall fraud rates in Know Your Customer (KYC) processes to 25 per cent (down by four percentage points from 2023), criminals have responded with more advanced attack methods, leading to millions of dollars in fraud losses.

Notably, fraud losses in Nigerian banks alone surged to N42.6 billion in Q2 2024, far exceeding the N9.4 billion total recorded in 2023, according to FITC. Other key findings from the report revealed that  East Africa reported the highest biometric and document rejection rates at 27 per cent, followed by West and Central Africa (22 per cent) and Southern Africa (21 per cent).

RELATED

What Attracts Kenyan Punters Most To Sports Betting

Tech Upgrades That Ensure Faster Player Settlements

12 hours ago
Experts Laud CG As Customs Grants 90-day Window To Regularise Imported Vehicles Duty

Customs Grants 223 Importers 21-day Ultimatum Over N379.6bn Duty Violations

19 hours ago

Biometric fraud attempts averaged 16 percent per quarter, the highest recorded in three years. Authentication attempts had fraud rates four times higher than new account registrations, highlighting a growing risk of account takeovers.

Fraudulent activity peaked between 8 PM and 4 AM WAT, with the highest occurrences at midnight.

Responding to the findings of the report, the CEO of Smile ID, Mark Straub, emphasised the need for adaptability in fraud prevention, warning that while AI enhances security, it also provides fraudsters with new attack methods.

“The future of fraud prevention lies in adaptability. While AI provides fraudsters with powerful new tools, it also helps security practitioners harness global intelligence to counter zero-day attacks and automate processes that were once manual.

“Fintech platforms with weak KYC protocols remain the most vulnerable, as these bad actors use identity farming to create fraudulent accounts that conceal the origins of illicit funds. Tackling these vulnerabilities requires collaboration between industries, governments, and technology providers to create a safer digital ecosystem,” Straub stated.

To combat these threats, Smile ID recently introduced Enhanced SmartSelfie™, a cutting-edge biometric verification tool designed to counter deepfakes, AI-generated faces, and replay attacks. By adopting advanced fraud detection solutions and cross-industry collaboration, African businesses can enhance security, build trust, and drive economic growth.

 

 


We’ve got the edge. Get real-time reports, breaking scoops, and exclusive angles delivered straight to your phone. Don’t settle for stale news. Join LEADERSHIP NEWS on WhatsApp for 24/7 updates →

Join Our WhatsApp Channel




Tags: Biometric Fraud
SendShareTweetShare
Previous Post

BUA, Partner Begin Development Of 700tpd, 45mscf Mini-LNG Plant

Next Post

National Gallery Partners Atsur To Digitise, Enhance Global Access

Royal Ibeh

Royal Ibeh

You May Like

What Attracts Kenyan Punters Most To Sports Betting
Business

Tech Upgrades That Ensure Faster Player Settlements

2025/07/26
Experts Laud CG As Customs Grants 90-day Window To Regularise Imported Vehicles Duty
Business

Customs Grants 223 Importers 21-day Ultimatum Over N379.6bn Duty Violations

2025/07/26
Nigeria, UK Strengthen Relations On Trade, Standards
Business

Nigeria, UK Strengthen Relations On Trade, Standards

2025/07/26
Transcorp Hotels Appoints Osakwe As Non-executive Director
Business

Transcorp Hotels Posts N12.228bn Pre-tax Profit, To Pay N1.02bn Interim Dividend

2025/07/26
Biometric Fraud
Business

Fintech Experts Create Platform To Connect Startups With Investors

2025/07/26
NLNG Ties 2023 Science Quiz Competition To Net Zero Emission
Business

The NLNG Prize For Literature 2025 Offers $100,000 To Winner

2025/07/26
Leadership Conference advertisement

LATEST

Remi Tinubu Hails Falcons, Says ‘You’ve Written Your Names In Gold’

BREAKING: Super Falcons Clinch 10th WAFCON Title

Emmanuel, Adesuwa Crowned Champions Of 46th CBN Tennis Tourney

Police Arrest 6 Suspected Kidnappers In Kaduna, Zamfara

78 Sanitation Offenders Arrested In Edo

BBNaija S10: HoH Challenge To Hold Sundays, HoH Challenger On Monday

2025 Women’s Afrobasket: D’Tigress Thrash Rwanda In Opening Game

Ondo Varsity Students Protest Murder Of Female Colleague

Army Debunks Report Of Delayed Promotion, Allowances

Constitution Review: North-West States Reject Diasporan Voting, Back State Creation

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.