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By Chinenye Anuforo
ESET has raised concerns over the rising wave of cyber threats targeting West Africa’s digital ecosystem.
The concern stems from its latest research linking North Korea’s Lazarus Group to a major cyberespionage campaign against European defense firms.
The campaign, known as Operation DreamJob, targeted several defense-related companies across Europe, particularly those involved in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sector. The attackers used fake job offers and compromised open-source projects to steal sensitive data and proprietary technology.
Although the attacks were focused on Europe, ESET Nigeria has warned that Africa’s growing digital integration and expanding defense partnerships could make the region a potential target for similar espionage or supply chain infiltration attempts.
Speaking on the implications of the discovery, Olufemi Ake, Managing Director of ESET Nigeria, said the increasing digitisation of government and private sector operations across West Africa has made the region an appealing target for cybercriminals and state-sponsored hackers.
“It is an attractive region for cyberattacks. With increasing digital connectivity, expansion of defence partnerships, and emergence as a tech innovation hub, individuals are now seen as potential entry points for both direct cyber threats and indirect access to global supply chains”, Ake said.
He noted that key sectors including government institutions, engineering and technology firms, critical infrastructure operators such as power, telecommunications, and finance, as well as defense and media organisations, are at heightened risk.
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Ake emphasised that cybersecurity must be treated as a strategic priority, not just a technical concern, across both public and private institutions. He called on organisations to adopt employee-focused cybersecurity training, robust device protection, and advanced threat detection systems to minimise exposure to attacks.
“Cyber resilience begins with people,” he stressed. “Educating staff, deploying intelligent protection tools, and maintaining up-to-date systems are essential to staying ahead of evolving threats.”
He added that attackers are increasingly exploiting human weaknesses and supply chain vulnerabilities to gain access to sensitive systems, underscoring the need for comprehensive security policies that combine technology, awareness, and governance.
In a broader call to action, Ake urged West African governments and institutions to collaborate more closely on cybersecurity frameworks, intelligence sharing, and capacity building.
“As countries across the region continue their digital transformation journeys, cyber resilience must be made a top priority,” he said.
“This will require regional collaboration, sustained awareness campaigns, and long-term investment in cybersecurity capacity-building to safeguard national interests, economic growth, and public trust in digital systems.”
Ake warned that the recent Lazarus Group cyberespionage campaign serves as a wake-up call for nations across Africa to strengthen their defenses before they become collateral damage in global cyber conflicts.
“Africa must not wait to react , it must prepare. The threats are no longer distant; they are already at our digital doorstep”, he concluded.
