Hackers intensify attacks on Nigerian government websites, seize NBS platform

Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) website targeted by cybercriminals
Cyberattacks in Nigeria have surged, targeting government ministries, financial institutions, and telecom companies
Financial impact of cybercrime in Africa estimated by INTERPOL to be over $4 billion

The NBS plays a vital role in Nigeria's development, serving as the official statistical agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating statistical data on the country's economy, governance, and development

This marks the latest in a series of attacks on Nigerian government websites, a trend that has been ongoing for some years.

cyberattacks in Nigeria have surged to alarming levels, with even financial institutions falling victim. Bill Hinton/Getty Images

Nigerian govt websites under threat

From government ministries to officials, cyberattacks in Nigeria have surged to alarming levels, with even financial institutions falling victim.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) frequently issue warnings of cybercriminals targeting individuals, government entities, banks, and telecom companies.

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At about 8:32 PM yesterday, the affected organization issued a tweet informing the public about the incident.

“This is to inform the public that the NBS Website has been hacked and we are working to recover it. Please disregard any message or report posted until the website is fully restored. Thank you.” the tweet from the NBS read.

The financial impact of cybercrime in Africa is staggering, with INTERPOL estimating it to be over $4 billion, equivalent to approximately 10% of the continent's total gross domestic product.

The trend is also concerning, with the average cost of ransomware attacks increasing by 13% in 2023, reaching $5.13 million, according to an IBM report.

This surge in cybercrime activity has significant implications for businesses, governments, and individuals across the continent.

In Nigeria, for instance, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reported attempts to breach its website in 2020.

Past incidents have seen entities like the CBN, EFCC and NBC fall victim to cyberattacks [Facebook/Getty Images] Pulse Nigeria

Hackers also seized the X account of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBS) and posted messages critical of the government during the ENDSARS protests.

In 2021, the National Communications Communication (NCC) issued a warning of an impending attack by an Iranian group reported to be engaging in cyber espionage across Africa.

A statement by the NCC said the group, known as Lyceum, has been reported to target telecoms, Internet Service Providers, and Ministries of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria and other African countries.

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A few month ago, servers of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) were reportedly breached and according to The Punch, a website known as expressverify was monetizing the recovery of NINs and personal information from the Nigerian identification database.

Apart from ministries, government officials are not left out of the attacks as several top government officials and state governors have had their mobile numbers hacked into.

Cyberattacks across Africa

Recently, Namibia's state-owned telecom company suffered a ransomware attack, leading to the leak of sensitive customer data, including information about top government officials.

The BBC reports that Telecom Namibia said the data was released after it declined to negotiate with a hacker group called Hunters International.

The company is now investigating the cause of this significant system breach.

Other notable cyberattacks in Africa include incidents targeting Porsche South Africa’s Johannesburg headquarters and the South African division of the global credit bureau TransUnion.

Additional targets have included Ghana’s largest electricity provider, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG); the central banks of Zambia and South Sudan; government institutions in Ethiopia, Senegal, and Zimbabwe; as well as South African Internet service provider RSAWEB, all of which have faced ransomware attacks.

As of 8:27 AM this morning, the NBS website is yet to be recovered.