Nigeria’s push to digitise public services is increasingly exposing government institutions to cyber threats, with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) disclosing that hackers launched more than 2,000 attacks on its portal, forcing a temporary shutdown of its network.
Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner and chief executive officer of the NDPC, said the attacks underscored growing vulnerabilities in the country’s digital ecosystem as ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) accelerate the adoption of online platforms.
According to him, cybercriminals are increasingly targeting government institutions for a variety of reasons, including financial extortion, disruption of services and attempts to undermine public confidence in state institutions.
“A lot of government organisations are being targeted recently. We have not seen any major impact on the economy or citizens’ data, but we do not have to wait until significant damage occurs before taking action,” Olatunji said.
The disclosure comes as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to deepen e-governance and expand digital service delivery across public institutions. Olatunji noted that Nigeria’s digitalisation drive, which gained momentum following the National Information Technology Policy introduced in 2001, has evolved into a broader agenda aimed at enabling seamless interaction between citizens, businesses and government agencies.
