Report shows banks, energy sector under siege as Nigeria tops Africa in cyber attacks

Nigerian organisations are facing the highest number of cyber-attacks in Africa, with hackers increasingly using artificial intelligence to break into systems.

A new report, African Perspectives on Cyber Security 2025 by Check Point Software Technologies, shows that companies in Nigeria now face an average of 4,200 attempted cyber intrusions every week.

This is higher than the African average of 3,153 attacks per organisation, and about 60% more than the global average of 1,963 weekly attacks.

The report said that banks, telecom companies, energy firms, and government agencies are the main targets. The attackers mainly use stolen identities, AI-powered phishing messages, and ransomware. Exposed passwords, weak cloud security, and email breaches were highlighted as major problems in Nigeria.

Lorna Hardie of Check Point said criminals are now using artificial intelligence to make attacks faster and harder to detect.

Hardie explained:

“AI is now part of the threat. Attackers use it to carry out identity theft and phishing at large scale. The best defence is prevention-focused security with strong visibility and AI protection.”

Across Africa, the report found changing attack strategies:

In South Africa, ransomware, fake SMS attacks, and botnet infections are rising.

In Kenya, the country’s national energy grid has been targeted.

In Morocco, coordinated cyber-attacks have caused disruptions in government and education networks.

Instead of just encrypting systems, attackers are now stealing data and threatening to leak it if victims do not pay. The report noted that identity theft has become one of the easiest ways hackers gain access.

It warned that global rules, such as Europe’s NIS2 cybersecurity regulations, may limit African companies from doing business internationally if they lack proper security systems.

The report concluded that Africa’s digital growth is moving faster than investment in security, leaving weaknesses in cloud services, identity systems, and AI-driven business tools.

It advised governments and private companies to focus on prevention, continuous security checks, strong regulations, and better partnerships.

Hardie added:

“Technology alone is not the challenge. The real issue is securing trust. Cybersecurity must shift from reacting after attacks to predicting them before they happen.”