Nigeria now records an average of 4,701 cyberattacks weekly, ranking as the most targeted country in Africa, according to recent cybersecurity data.
The alarming figure highlights the growing vulnerability of Africa’s largest economy to digital threats, including ransomware, phishing schemes, financial fraud, identity theft and infrastructure breaches.
Cybersecurity experts attribute the surge to increased digital adoption, expanded fintech activity and the rapid migration of government and corporate systems online. As Nigeria deepens its digital economy, threat actors have intensified efforts to exploit system weaknesses.
According to industry analysts, financial institutions, telecommunications companies, government agencies and small businesses remain prime targets. The expansion of mobile banking and digital payments has particularly heightened exposure.
Security professionals warn that many organisations still operate with outdated software, weak encryption standards and inadequate incident response frameworks. Human error also remains a critical vulnerability, with phishing attacks accounting for a large percentage of breaches.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has repeatedly urged financial institutions to strengthen cybersecurity frameworks, while the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) continues to push compliance with Nigeria’s Data Protection Act.
Technology analysts say Nigeria’s ranking reflects both its economic size and its growing digital footprint. As Africa’s largest fintech market, Nigeria naturally attracts more cybercriminal attention.
Experts recommend mandatory cybersecurity audits, staff training, zero-trust architecture adoption and cross-border intelligence sharing. They also emphasize the need for stronger public-private collaboration.
Beyond financial loss, cyberattacks threaten national security and investor confidence. Infrastructure disruptions in energy, telecoms or electoral systems could have far-reaching consequences.
While Nigeria leads Africa in attack volume, experts insist the country also has the capacity to become a continental leader in cybersecurity innovation, if policy implementation matches digital expansion.
