Nigeria Cyber Threat Advisory Issued

The Ghana — Data Protection Commission (Ghana) (NDPC) has issued a regulatory advisory urging organizations across Nigeria to strengthen their data protection systems due to escalating and coordinated cyber threats. These threats are specifically targeting financial systems and critical digital infrastructure within Nigeria, posing significant risks to data privacy and national security. The NDPC's technical assessment revealed 'shadowy threat actors' are behind these operations. The commission reminded both public and private sector entities of their obligations under the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, and referenced a directive from President Bola Tinubu emphasizing data safeguarding. Organizations are advised to implement stronger access controls, multi-factor authentication, data encryption, continuous network monitoring, vulnerability assessments, and secure cloud infrastructure. The NDPC also stressed the importance of clear privacy policies, appointing data protection officers, and conducting impact assessments, warning of legal consequences for non-compliance. This advisory follows a previous investigation by the NDPC into an alleged data breach involving Remita Payment Services and Sterling Bank.