The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in Nigeria has reportedly been affected by a cyberattack announced on Wednesday, December 18.
The attack has raised concerns about the potential exposure of critical national information, including population statistics, economic reports, and data crucial for national planning.
In response, the Bureau has warned Nigerians to disregard updates from its platform until its website is fully operational again.
The continent has recently experienced a surge in such cyberattacks. In June, data from Nigeria’s National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) was reportedly sold online, while in Kenya, sensitive government information from the Micro and Small Enterprise Authority (MSEA) was allegedly traded on the dark web.
These incidents serve as a stark reminder for governments across the continent to strengthen cybersecurity measures. Without proactive steps, attacks could become more frequent and more damaging in scale.
For Nigeria specifically, the implications of these attacks are troubling. They expose vulnerabilities in the nation’s infrastructure and act as a barrier to the country’s ambitious digital transformation goals.