CBN alerts Nigerians to attempts to hack personal accounts
Nigeria is recording an average of 4,200 cyber-attacks every week as the country’s expanding digital economy continues to draw increased attention from malicious actors, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has said.

Tijani disclosed this yesterday in Abuja during the inaugural stakeholders’ session on the proposed Ministerial Advisory Council for Cybersecurity Coordination, an initiative aimed at strengthening collaboration and response mechanisms across the nation’s digital space.

The minister said the surge in cyber threats is closely tied to the country’s rapid digital transformation, noting that increased connectivity, higher internet usage and growing digital transactions have made Nigeria more exposed to attacks.

“The stronger your digital economy becomes, the more cyber-attacks you’re going to witness. We must therefore focus on building coordinated resilience rather than reacting in isolation,” Tijani said.

According to him, Nigeria’s digital domain has grown significantly over the past two decades, with over 160 million internet users and about 157 million mobile lines, alongside expanding broadband and 4G coverage nationwide.

He explained that ongoing government investments in digital infrastructure, including a nationwide fibre network and additional telecom towers, are expected to deepen connectivity, but would widen the risk surface for cyber threats.

Tijani stressed that the proposed advisory council is intended to provide a platform for government agencies, private sector players and experts to jointly identify risks, share intelligence and align policy responses.

“This is not about government alone. Cybersecurity cannot be addressed in silos. It requires collaboration across all stakeholders,” he noted.

The minister said the advisory council would be shaped through a series of engagements before its formal inauguration, stressing that contributions from stakeholders would determine its structure and effectiveness.

He urged participants to actively contribute ideas, observing that the initiative is designed to ensure the country is proactive and resilient in the face of evolving cyber threats.

In his remarks, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, said emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, are reshaping the cyber threat landscape.

He added that Nigeria’s interconnected systems make it vulnerable to cascading attacks, where a breach in one sector can quickly spread to others.

Inuwa further cautioned that the speed and scale of emerging threats require a shift from reactive security measures to proactive, intelligence-driven systems that can anticipate and neutralise risks before they escalate.

The NITDA boss also noted the importance of capacity building, pointing out that human error remains a major vulnerability in cybersecurity incidents.

Relatedly, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has warned the public about attempts by hackers to gain access to personal accounts of Nigerians.

The apex bank said the hackers are circulating fraudulent messages and emails falsely claiming to originate from the bank.

CBN gave the warning in a statement signed by its acting director of corporate communications, Hakama Sidi Ali.

According to the financial regulator, there are misleading messages circulating that have been designed to deceive Nigerians and compromise their personal information.

It said the fake communications, which include emails and online messages, often prompt recipients to click suspicious links while spreading false claims about the bank’s leadership, licensing activities, and policy decisions.

CBN added that the fraudulent content is aimed at hacking personal accounts and misleading unsuspecting members of the public.

“The official website of the Central Bank of Nigeria remains www.cbn.gov.ng. Members of the public are strongly advised to refrain from clicking links or sharing personal information on suspicious websites.

“Verify the authenticity of all CBN communications through the official website and recognised media outlets.

“Report any suspected fraudulent site, email, or message to law enforcement authorities,” the statement read.