Grace Ashiru
Word on the street is that Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has fallen victim to a cyberattack, as announced on Wednesday, December 18, 2024. The news broke after the Bureau took to X to reveal the incident.
This breach has significantly disrupted the NBS’s operations, sparking concerns over the potential exposure of critical data, including economic reports, population statistics, and other essential information vital for national planning and policymaking.
While the details remain unclear, the Bureau has advised the public to disregard any updates from its platform until its website has been fully restored.
Unfortunately, this attack is far from an isolated case. Cyberattacks have plagued Africa throughout the year. Recently, Kenya’s Micro and Small Enterprise Authority (MSEA) saw sensitive government information sold on the dark web. Similarly, in June, Nigeria’s National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) faced a breach, with data being sold on Anyverify.
These incidents underscore a troubling trend, as cybercriminals increasingly target national institutions across the continent. It’s a stark wake-up call for African governments to strengthen their defenses against the growing threat of cybercrime.
For Nigeria, the implications of this attack are particularly troubling. It highlights the vulnerabilities in the nation’s digital infrastructure, a critical issue as the government continues to push forward its ambitious digitization agenda across multiple sectors.
