Cyberattacks are a growing concern in Africa, with many countries facing significant threats to their digital security.
- Cyber attacks are a growing concern in Africa
- The financial sector is the second most targeted after government establishments
- Various organizations in Africa, such as Eneo, Airtel, MTN, Bank of Uganda, and Telecom Namibia, were subject to cyber attacks in 2024
The rapid growth of technology and internet penetration in Africa has brought about numerous benefits and at the same time, raised concerns as cyberattacks mostly target the most digitally exposed regions.
The most digitally developed countries in Africa are Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, and Kenya, with Internet user numbers reaching 103 million, 82 million, 45 million, and 23 million, respectively, according to Statista data.
This has also made these countries the most prone to cyber attacks.
According to data from open sources, a significant portion of cyberattacks in the region occurred in South Africa (22%) and Egypt (13%), while dark web listings frequently concerned the targets in South Africa (25%), Nigeria (18%), and Algeria (13%).
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After government establishments, the financial sector ranks second in terms of the share of successful cyberattacks in the region (22%).
In 2024, several cyberattacks were recorded by organizations across Africa and some of the biggest attacks recorded during the period are presented below;.
ENEO (Cameroon)
In January 2024, Cameroon’s energy company Eneo faced a cyberattack that disrupted its computer systems, leading to the suspension of some applications while protection measures were implemented. The company withheld specific details about the breach.
GhostLocker 2.0 Attacks (South Africa and Egypt)
Ransomware groups GhostSec and Stormous in March 2024, used GhostLocker 2.0 in double-extortion attacks targeting organizations in Lebanon, Israel, South Africa, Turkey, Egypt, India, Vietnam, Thailand, and beyond.
The attackers encrypt data, demanding payment for decryption keys and threatening to leak sensitive data if hush money isn’t paid.
Anonymous Sudan Attacks (Telecom companies in Uganda)
On February 6, 2024, major mobile providers – Airtel, MTN, and Uganda Telecom came under attacks by the hacktivist group known as Anonymous Sudan.
The companies were subjected to DDoS attacks, which disrupted their core operations. According to the group, the cyberattack was aimed at companies supporting the Rapid Support Forces in the civil war in Sudan.
Bank of UGANDA
The Bank of Uganda confirmed attacks by offshore hackers, identifying as “Waste.” The hackers reportedly stole 62 billion Ugandan shillings ($16.8 million).
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A senior official at Uganda’s finance ministry confirmed the hacking incident at the central bank.
Flutterwave (Nigeria)
In April 2024, Flutterwave suffered a security breach, leading to unauthorized transfers of up to ₦11 billion ($7 million) though the company did not confirm the exact amount.
The breach, uncovered through unusual account activities, involved funds being routed through multiple accounts across five financial institutions to evade detection.
Telecom Namibia (Namibia)
Namibia’s state-owned Telecom Namibia suffered a ransomware attack in December 2024, resulting in the leak of sensitive customer data, including nearly 500,000 pieces of information including personal and financial data belonging to ministries, senior government officials and other company clients.
The hackers, known as Hunters International, released the data after the company refused to negotiate. Telecom Namibia is investigating the breach.
NBS Website (Nigeria)
In December, hackers compromised the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) website, which now displays a blank page with the message “Page Hacked.”
Confirming the breach, the NBS tweeted on Thursday night, stating, “The NBS website has been hacked, and we are working to recover it. Please disregard any messages or reports posted until full restoration.“
Micro and Small Enterprise Authority (MSEA) (Kenya)
Kenya’s Micro and Small Enterprise Authority (MSEA) was hacked in December, exposing sensitive government and organizational data on the dark web.
The leaked data, including employee records, government correspondence, financial statements, and business registrations, was listed for sale at $100,000.
Some of it has already been downloaded, sparking concerns over identity theft, fraud, and corporate espionage.
National Health Laboratory System (NHLS) (South Africa)
On June 22, 2024, the South African National Health Laboratory System (NHLS) suffered a cyberattack that severely disrupted the country’s public health system.
The NHLS website was down for the entire weekend, and its entire system became inaccessible, including documents, laboratory systems, and electronic sample testing.
Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (South Africa)
In March 2024, the website of South Africa’s Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), under the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition, faced a cyberattack.
The agency which is responsible for business registration and rights protection reported in a statement on February 29th that its database experienced an “attempted” security breach targeting personal information of clients and employees.
