NBS website hacked, agency assures recovery efforts

By Chukwuma Umeorah

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has confirmed that its recently redesigned website has fallen victim to a cyberattack. The agency disclosed this development in a statement on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, reassuring Nigerians that efforts were underway to restore the platform.

“This is to inform the public that the NBS website has been hacked, and we are working to recover it. Please disregard any message or report posted until the website is fully restored,” the statement read.

The breach occurred just two weeks after the unveiling of the NBS’s revamped platform, raising concerns about the security of official data and the reliability of national statistics during the disruption. As Nigeria’s primary data agency, the NBS plays a critical role in collating and disseminating economic, governance, and developmental statistics. The incident underscores the growing vulnerability of public institutions to cyberattacks in an increasingly digitised world.

The attack coincides with broader warnings about Nigeria’s exposure to cyber threats. A recent African Perspectives on Cyber Security Report 2024 by Check Point Software Technologies revealed that Nigerian organisations face an average of 3,759 cyberattacks weekly.

According to the report, ransomware remains the most significant threat, exploiting weaknesses in both public and private institutions. Government entities, including critical agencies like the NBS, experience an average of 1,791 attacks weekly, with ransomware and botnet activities dominating the threat landscape.

The NBS, in its assurance, has called for public patience and vigilance as it works to recover its platform and secure its critical operations.