E-Business
Experts Urge Nigerians to Wary of Cyber Attacks
Cyber security experts and international data organisations have warned Nigerians to wary of activities of cyber criminals hiding under the anonymity of the information super highway.
Nigeria has been the main target of cybercriminals for the past two years because many of its businesses had moved online during the coronavirus-induced lockdown.
Kaspersky, global cybersecurity and digital privacy company, reports that leading countries in Africa, including Nigeria, have experienced 85 million malware attacks in just six months.
The data showed that South Africa, the most targeted had 32 million attacks, followed by Kenya with 28.3 million, Nigeria with 16.7 million cyber attacks, while Ethiopia had 8 million attacks.
However, Nigeria and Ethiopia have had the highest increase of cyber attacks on the continent compared to the pre-COVID-19 year. Nigeria, Ethiopia and South Africa recorded an increase of 23 per cent, 20 per cent and 14 per cent, respectively, with Kenya being the only country that saw a decrease of 13 per cent.
Nigeria seems to be the most hit. Yet, experts see more attacks on businesses as the movement toward Internet-of-Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence, and cloud computing continues to gain momentum. But this also exposes businesses to cyber-attack risks.
However, the cyber security experts said this type of gloomy data should spur responsible, conscious and forward-thinking corporate and large businesses heavily exposed to e-commerce to adopt strategies for mitigating these risks.
But small businesses are not left off the ugly trend. Recent findings show that enterprises with less than 200 employees lose an average of $2.5 million each due to cyber threats. Nigerian SMEs inclusive.
Sophos Group believes that 86% of Nigerian companies fell prey to cyber attacks last year.
Mr Victor Idonor, director-general, Cybersecurity Challenge Nigeria Initiative (CYSEC NG), urged Nigerians to be wary of cybersecurity, like every other security challenge and its impacts on the nation and citizenry.
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has also warned that there are possible spillover cyber-attacks against non-primary targets as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mrs Hadiza Umar, head, Corporate Affairs and External Relations of NITDA, in a statement issued in Abuja, said the invasion had increased cyberattacks on businesses and government agencies.
“There is a greater danger for countries doing business in or with these countries’ governments, as well as businesses or countries that apply sanctions or are believed to intervene. In this regard, NITDA’s Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (CERRT) is urging all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to take extra security precautions.
“They should harden their cyber defences and perform due diligence in identifying indicators of malicious activities that could affect their networks, assets and critical national infrastructure. MDAs are advised to carry out checks for possible vulnerabilities on their systems and implement appropriate remediations,” Umar said.
She added that they should always ensure the software is updated and carry out regular patches on all systems. According to her, they should secure and monitor remote desktop protocol and other risky services and carry out awareness on cyber security best practices to sensitise employees and users of services.
NITDA called on organisations to sign up for NITDA’s free web protection service, which will provide MDAs’ administrators with detailed information about the vulnerability of their web services.
Some tips to detect and mitigate cyber risks:
- Beware of mysterious email activity
Email phishing is one of the primary ways attackers gain access to sensitive business information by pretending to be a trusted organisation or website. These attempts have been growing in number, making it essential for employees to practice safe email protocol and be careful not to click on online links, open emails, or attachments from unknown sources. It is also advisable to create a culture where all employees refrain from responding or engaging in emails with anonymous sources.
- Note unusual password reset request
This is another devious way cybercriminals deploy to gain access to the company’s secure portal. An employee who receives an email requesting a password change or update should immediately report the event to the IT unit. A good security best practice is to ensure that all employees create a strong password for their email.
- Report a slower-than-normal network
This kind of episode might seem normal in this part of our world, where strong connectivity is not the usual. However, this could also be a hacking attempt or malware attack. These attempts often result in spikes in network traffic that can reduce internet speed. To mitigate this, inform the IT security department to be on the watch during such situations. Also, inform the internet service provider to ensure the team is on the alert.
- Prepare for the worst-case scenario
Despite all these high-alert detection strategies and information to employees, the unplanned can still happen, making it more critical to have a cyber insurance policy that your organisation can fall back on should such an event occur. One of the deliberate actions is to prioritise cyber threat insurance on top of your risk mitigation plan against cyber attacks.
Nigeria has emerged as one of Africa’s most regulated online gambling markets, even as illegal operators continue to dominate the continent, according to a new report by Gaming Compliance International (GCI).
The report, the first comprehensive assessment of online gambling across all 54 African countries, showed that Africa’s online gambling Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) reached $23 billion in 2025.
However, only $5.2 billion (23 per cent) was generated by licensed operators, while $17.8 billion (77 per cent) remained in the unregulated market.
In West Africa, total online gambling revenue rose to $4.8 billion in 2025 from $4.3 billion in 2024. Of the 2025 figure, regulated operators accounted for $1.5 billion (31 per cent), while $3.3 billion (69 per cent) flowed to unlicensed platforms, highlighting the region’s persistent enforcement challenges.
Nigeria stood out as the region’s strongest performer, recording the lowest unregulated market share at 56 per cent, compared with the West African average of 69 per cent and the African average of 77 per cent.
The study also found that online gambling participation across Africa increased from 198 million people (13 per cent of the population) in 2024 to 215 million (14 per cent) in 2025.
Despite this growth, GCI estimated that illegal operators deprived African governments of about $3.55 billion in tax revenue in 2025. The number of unlicensed gambling platforms targeting African consumers also rose to 4,129, up from 3,644 in 2024.
Commenting on the findings, Matt Holt, chief executive officer, GCI, said the report provides regulators with the first continent-wide benchmark for strengthening oversight and consumer protection.
Ismail Vali, president, GCI, urged governments to develop competitive and well-regulated markets that encourage consumers to patronise licensed operators, boost public revenue and attract greater investment.
Online gambling in Nigeria is regulated by the Nation Lottery Regulatory Commission.
At the height of the Northern Hemisphere tourist season, demand for communications and mobile Internet services rises sharply. Kaspersky’s security experts have uncovered scams that target anyone purchasing mobile connections or SIM cards worldwide.
Fraudsters create counterfeit websites that look like the portals of major regional and international telecom providers to trick users into revealing their phone numbers, personal details or banking information.
Kaspersky is sharing several examples of these fake login pages that mimic legitimate telecom operator sites and giving recommendations on how not to be deceived.
In the first case, scammers exploit the brand name of an international telecommunications company operating services in Asia, Africa and Europe. Fake authentication pages encourage users to put in their phone number and credentials.
While the first example shows the different design, the second scam site closely mimics the original log in page, making it hard for users to tell the difference and spot a fake. Entering authentication or payment data on fraudulent web sites may result in money or data loss and become a reason for more frequent spam and fraudulent calls.
Another example is a scam page which poses as another international communications company, working in North Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. In this scheme scammers encourage users to top up their mobile data/Internet plans by entering their personal information and bank cards details.
Kaspersky experts have also identified a scam when cyber criminals suggest users enter their personal data to check and pay a bill inquiry. Such scam schemes are usually aimed at gaining victims’ personal data for further fraud or account hacking and stealing money.
“Because of the active use of AI, scammers can now create fake pages with ever increasing accuracy and speed, targeting the most popular user interest areas. We constantly see scams revolving around sports events, music concerts, seasonal sales and holidays. Unfortunately, the telecoms industry is no exception.
To keep your data and money safe, be vigilant when purchasing mobile or Internet plans online. Using an eSIM – purchased through an official app – is one way to avoid fake telecom sites, as it eliminates the need to enter personal details on questionable web pages.
If you’re unsure about a site’s legitimacy, search for the brand name directly in a search engine and enable a security solution that blocks phishing links for you,” comments Tatyana Kulikova, cybersecurity expert at Kaspersky.
In a strategic push to bridge the gender digital divide, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has partnered with the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) to advance women’s digital inclusion and drive the nation’s transformation agenda.
Dr Aristotle Onumo and some NITDA staff, pose for a group photograph with the President of the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Comrade Aisha Ibrahim, and members of the delegation following a strategic engagement at the Agency’s Headquarters in Abuja.
The partnership was cemented during a courtesy visit to NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, by a NAWOJ delegation led by National President Comrade Aishatu Ibrahim, who introduced the agency to the forthcoming Women in Security (WINSEC) Summit & Awards 2026.
Inuwa, represented by Dr. Aristotle Onumo, the Director of the Stakeholders Management and Partnerships Department, assured the association that NITDA would not only participate in the conference, but also support the success of the conference.
Inuwa hailed the NAWOJ for creating a platform for peacebuilding, dialogue on security and women’s inclusion, which he described as one of the critical areas NITDA is focused on to ensure that more women obtain digital literacy and skills under the National Gender Inclusive Strategy.
Beyond NITDA’s plan to participate in the conference, the DG noted that a robust partnership between the organisations would engender meaningful opportunities and initiatives through which many more women can access digital literacy.
“Inclusivity is the key to everything we do at NITDA. We clearly defined that 40 per cent of our programmes must recognise the issue of gender. We ensure that women are adequately represented and positioned to benefit greatly from the programmes that we organise in the agency.
“We graciously accept to participate actively in that conference. Apart from acquiring skills among journalists themselves, partnership with NAWOJ will also serve as a platform through which we can also reach out to various women’s groups across the federation,” Inuwa said.
Earlier, Comrade Ibrahim commended the DG for his visionary and transformational leadership which has continued to position NITDA as the catalyst for Nigeria’s digital economy through its various programmes.
She explained that the Women in Security (WINSEC) Summit and Awards 2026 is an initiative of NAWOJ designed to promote collaboration among government institutions, security agencies, technology experts, the media, and other stakeholders to address contemporary security challenges.
According to Comrade Ibrahim, the association also aims to recognise outstanding individuals and institutions that have demonstrated excellence in security, governance, and innovation while fostering meaningful dialogue on the role of technology in building a safer and more resilient Nigeria.
“We deeply appreciate your exemplary leadership, passion for innovation, and unwavering commitment to building a digitally empowered Nigeria. We respectfully invite the agency to partner with NAWOJ in making this landmark initiative a success.
“We look forward to establishing a long-term partnership with NITDA that will empower women journalists with cutting-edge digital skills, support digital inclusion and contribute to innovation, digital literacy, and human capital development,” the NAWOJ president added.
Both organisations expressed optimism that the meeting would lay a solid foundation for a rewarding partnership agreement with specific and clearly defined objectives that will support digital inclusion and contribute to innovation, digital literacy, and human capital development.
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