BackgroundThe majority of the African population lives in rural areas and depends on agriculture for their livelihoods. To increase the productivity and sustainability of their farms, they need access to affordable yield-enhancing inputs of which parasite control is of paramount importance. We therefore determined the status of current tick species with the highest economic impact on cattle by sampling representative numbers of animals in each of seven sub-Saharan countries.MethodsData included tick species’ half-body counts from approximately 120 cattle at each of two districts per country, collected four times in approximately 1 year (to include seasonality). Study sites were chosen in each country to include high cattle density and tick burden.ResultsEast Africa (Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania) showed overall a higher diversity and prevalence in tick infestations compared to West African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Nigeria). In East Africa,Amblyomma variegatum(vector ofEhrlichia ruminantium),Rhipicephalus microplus(Babesia bovis, B. bigemina, Anaplasma marginale),R. evertsi evertsi(A. marginale) andR. appendiculatus(Theileria parva) were the most prevalent tick species of economic importance. While the latter species was absent in West Africa, here bothA. variegatumandR. microplusoccurred in high numbers.Rhipicephalus microplushad spread to Uganda, infesting half of the cattle sampled.Rhipicephalus microplusis known for its invasive behaviour and displacement of other blue tick species, as observed in other East and West African countries. Individual cattle with higher body weights, as well as males, were more likely to be infested. For six tick species, we found reduced infestation levels when hosts were treated with anti-parasiticides.ConclusionsThese baseline data allow the determination of possible changes in presence and prevalence of ticks in each of the countries targeted, which is of importance in the light of human-caused climate and habitat alterations or anthropogenic activities. As many of the ticks in this study are vectors of important pathogens, but also, as cattle may act as end hosts for ticks of importance to human health, our study will help a wide range of stakeholders to provide recommendations for tick infestation surveillance and prevention.Graphical abstractSupplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-023-05801-5.