Nigeria has emerged as Africa’s most targeted country for cyberattacks, recording an average of 4,701 attacks on organisations every week, according to a new threat intelligence assessment released in February 2026.
The findings are contained in the latest Global Threat Intelligence report published by Check Point Research, which shows that cyber threats against Nigerian organisations rose sharply at the start of the year, underscoring growing digital risks across critical sectors.
Brandspur Banking News Desk reports that the latest figure represents a 12 per cent year-on-year increase and an uptick from the 4,622 weekly attacks recorded in December 2025, indicating sustained and escalating interest by threat actors in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
The report shows that Nigeria not only leads Africa in cyberattack volume among countries assessed, but also far exceeds the continental average of 2,864 attacks per organisation per week. This places Nigeria well above the global average of 2,090 weekly cyberattacks per organisation recorded in January 2026.
Across Africa, threat levels varied widely. While Angola followed Nigeria with 4,512 weekly attacks per organisation, this marked a seven per cent decline year on year. Kenya recorded 2,172 weekly attacks, reflecting a significant 41 per cent drop, while South Africa saw 2,145 attacks per week, representing a 36 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.
Globally, the report highlights a continued escalation in cyber threats, with organisations worldwide experiencing a three per cent month-on-month rise and a 17 per cent year-on-year increase in weekly cyberattacks. Analysts note that attackers are becoming more persistent and increasingly strategic in their targeting.
Commenting on the findings, Ian van Rensburg, Head of Security Engineering for Africa at Check Point Software Technologies, warned that the data points to a shift not just in attack volume, but also in complexity. He said cybercriminals are deploying more advanced techniques, exploiting digital expansion and weak security postures across organisations.
The report suggests that Nigeria’s growing digital economy, expanding fintech sector and rising internet penetration may be contributing factors attracting cybercriminal activity, raising fresh concerns about data protection, financial security and national cyber resilience.
Cybersecurity experts have urged Nigerian organisations to strengthen defences, invest in threat intelligence and adopt proactive security frameworks as attacks continue to rise, warning that failure to act could expose businesses and public institutions to significant financial and operational risks.
