Cyberattack Fallout: NBS Plans N35m Cybersecurity Boost After Website Hack

Cyberattack Fallout: NBS Plans N35m Cybersecurity Boost After Website Hack

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has set aside N35 million in its 2025 budget for “Capacity Building on Cybersecurity and Data Centre Management.” This comes as the agency is still reeling from the effects of a cyberattack that compromised its website on December…Cyberattack Fallout: NBS Plans N35m Cybersecurity Boost After Website Hack

18, 2024.

The breach, which was publicly acknowledged on the bureau’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, prompted a warning for the public to disregard any information from the platform until the situation is resolved. This incident has raised alarms over the vulnerability of the NBS’s digital infrastructure, especially considering its key role as Nigeria’s primary source for statistical data.

The NBS’s 2025 budget proposal also includes several allocations aimed at improving its operational capacity and service delivery. These include N55 million for the National Agricultural Sample Survey, N20 million for the Compilation of Tourism, Education, Health, and Natural Resources Satellite Accounts, and N50 million for tracking the implementation of the 8-Point Agenda. The budget further includes provisions for other critical projects like the National Integrated Survey of Establishments (N60 million) and SDG tracking (N35 million).

A significant N500 million has been earmarked for the Labour Force Survey, alongside allocations for essential reports like the Producer Price Index (N40 million) and the Consumer Price Index Production (N80 million). Additionally, N80 million has been designated for the National Consultative Committee on Statistics, which fosters collaboration among stakeholders in Nigeria’s national statistical system.

The total proposed expenditure for the NBS amounts to N9.85 billion, with N6.65 billion allocated for personnel costs. This cybersecurity investment comes at a crucial time, following the hack that lasted approximately a week, potentially delaying critical statistical reports.

This cyberattack highlights the growing vulnerability of Nigeria’s government institutions to digital threats. According to the 2024 African Perspectives on Cyber Security Report by Check Point Software Technologies, Nigeria is currently experiencing an alarming average of 3,759 cyberattacks per week, with public sector entities facing nearly 1,800 attacks weekly.

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