The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in Nigeria has reported that it was affected by a cyberattack announced on Wednesday, December 18.
The attack raised concerns about the potential exposure of critical national information, including population statistics, economic reports, and data vital for national planning.
In response, the Bureau has warned Nigerians not to rely on updates from the platform until the website is fully operational again.
The continent has recently seen an increase in such cyberattacks. In June, it was reported that data from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in Nigeria was being sold online, while sensitive government information from Kenya’s Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) was allegedly being traded on the dark web.
These incidents serve as a stark reminder to governments across the continent to strengthen cybersecurity measures. If proactive steps are not taken, cyberattacks may become more frequent and damaging in scale.
The impact of these attacks is particularly concerning for Nigeria. They expose vulnerabilities in the country’s infrastructure and pose a significant obstacle to its ambitious digital transformation goals.
