Nigeria’s Digital Infrastructure Exposed As Cyberattacks Hit 4,361 Weekly

Nigeria’s growing digital economy faces fresh cybersecurity concerns as organisations nationwide contend with an average of 4,361 attempted cyberattacks weekly, prompting renewed calls to better protect the internet infrastructure that supports government, financial, and business services.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has consequently moved to strengthen the security of government digital infrastructure by incorporating Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) into cybersecurity assessments for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

The agency is also pushing for government-owned websites operating under the .gov.ng domain to adopt the security technology, which helps prevent attackers from manipulating domain name records and redirecting unsuspecting users to fraudulent websites.

NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi disclosed the position at a cybersecurity awareness webinar organised by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA).

The NITDA chief, represented by Oluwasegun Falayan,  said government institutions must move beyond merely registering domain names to ensuring that their online platforms are adequately protected.

“So we must lead; we must ensure that every .gov.ng is signed as much as possible, and we provide DNS as an inclusion in every security assessment that we do. So it’s not enough to just have a domain, but it must be secured and must be signed,” he said.

The development comes amid growing dependence on digital platforms for financial transactions, public administration, electronic commerce and other essential services, increasing the potential economic consequences of attacks on Nigeria’s internet infrastructure.

President of NiRA, Adesola Akinsanya, said figures from Check Point Research showed that Nigerian organisations faced an average of 4,361 attempted cyberattacks weekly in June, compared with the global average of approximately 2,270.

He also cited figures from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), which put losses from digital payment fraud at N25.85 billion in 2025, warning that the decline in reported fraud incidents should not automatically be interpreted as improved security.

“DNS security is not a technical hobby. It is an economic question,” Akinsanya said, stressing that weaknesses in domain infrastructure could undermine confidence in digital financial services and expose businesses and consumers to fraud.

The Domain Name System (DNS) serves as the internet’s address book, translating website names into numerical addresses that enable computers to locate and communicate with online platforms.

However, when the system is manipulated, internet users can be redirected to malicious websites even when they enter what appears to be a legitimate web address.

DNSSEC addresses this vulnerability by introducing digital signatures that enable internet resolvers to verify the authenticity of DNS responses and detect unauthorised alterations.

Despite its importance, adoption across Nigeria’s domain registration ecosystem remains low. Akinsanya disclosed that only 15 of the country’s 164 accredited domain registrars had adopted DNSSEC, describing the level of implementation as inadequate.

He called on government institutions and businesses to strengthen access controls around their domain accounts, activate multi-factor authentication and establish clear procedures for responding to unauthorised changes to domain records.

Furthermore, he urged internet service providers to enable DNSSEC validation and called on regulators to incorporate domain security into Nigeria’s cybersecurity framework and critical national infrastructure planning.

Meanwhile, head of incident handling at the Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT), Daniel Onyekpeze, operating under the Office of the National Security Adviser, proposed an Executive Order to designate DNSSEC as part of Critical National Information Infrastructure.

He argued that securing the country’s domain infrastructure should extend beyond government websites to financial institutions and other sectors whose operations depend heavily on reliable internet services.

Similarly, SP Kuma Ikyereve of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre identified phishing as the leading category of cybersecurity cases, while Lateef Hamzat, founder and chief executive officer of CyberPlural, observed that cybercriminals were increasingly shifting their attention from individuals to organisational systems.

However, Akinsanya cautioned that DNSSEC should not be regarded as a complete cybersecurity solution, noting that the technology does not encrypt internet traffic, prevent distributed denial-of-service attacks or protect against compromised domain registrar credentials.

He further warned that poor implementation could also make websites inaccessible to users whose internet resolvers validate digital signatures, underscoring the need for technical expertise and proper coordination among stakeholders.

Nigeria’s cybersecurity challenge is further reflected in the broader threat landscape. The Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team has warned of rising incidents involving phishing, ransomware, business email compromise and data breaches, with weak access controls and unpatched systems providing opportunities for cybercriminals.

However, for an economy increasingly dependent on fintech, telecommunications, e-government platforms and other digital services, the protection of domain infrastructure is becoming an important component of economic security.

NiRA has also maintained that the expansion of Nigeria’s .ng domain should not come at the expense of security. Akinsanya said the association was targeting 30 per cent growth in domain registrations but would prioritise adequate security standards alongside expansion.

Consequently, the emerging challenge for regulators and industry stakeholders is to ensure that the proposed security requirements translate into effective implementation, rather than another compliance exercise, as Nigeria deepens its transition towards a digitally driven economy.