Cyberattacks: Nigeria Listed Among Most Attacked African Nations in November

Nigeria recorded one of the highest volumes of cyberattacks in Africa in November 2025, according to a new report from Check Point Research. 

Organisations in the country faced an average of 3,374 attacks per week, placing Nigeria second among the four African countries analysed, just behind Angola, which saw 4,251 weekly attacks. Kenya and South Africa followed with 2,384 and 1,863 attacks per week, respectively.

While Africa saw a 13% drop in cyberattacks overall, Nigeria’s high numbers show the country remains highly exposed, particularly in critical sectors. 

Government institutions, financial services firms, and consumer goods companies were the main targets across the continent in November.

Globally, organisations faced 2,003 attacks per week, a 3% increase from October and 4% higher than the same period last year. The rise is linked to expanding ransomware operations and new risks from generative AI (GenAI) tools.

The report highlighted the education sector as the most attacked globally, with 4,656 attacks per organisation per week. Government institutions followed at 2,716 attacks, while associations and non-profits saw a 57% jump, reaching 2,550 weekly attacks.

Generative AI is adding new risks. One in 35 AI prompts from enterprise networks posed a high risk of data leakage in November. Nearly 87% of organisations using GenAI were affected by risky prompts, with 22% exposing potentially sensitive information like customer data, internal communications, or proprietary code. 

Many companies use an average of 11 different AI tools monthly, often outside formal security systems, increasing chances of accidental exposure.

Ransomware attacks also grew. November saw 727 publicly reported incidents worldwide, a 22% increase year-on-year. While North America had 55% of these cases and Europe 18%, emerging markets like Africa continue to feel the impact. Leading ransomware groups included Qilin, Clop, and Akira.

The report shows that as Nigeria pushes for digital growth in finance, education, telecoms, and government services, its digital attack surface also grows. During the last general elections, the government reported blocking over 200 cyberattacks aimed at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Nigeria’s experience in November highlights the need for stronger cybersecurity measures as the country continues its digital transformation.