The Central Bank of Nigeria has warned Nigerians about rising scam messages targeting bank accounts.
On April 21, 2026, Hakama Sidi Ali outlined the growing cyber threat.
Rising Scam Alerts
Specifically, the bank said scammers send emails and messages falsely linked to the institution.
As a result, these messages trick people into clicking links and revealing sensitive financial information.
Moreover, they include false claims about leadership, licensing, or policy decisions to appear credible.
Public Sector Cyber Risks
Meanwhile, the warning follows recent cybersecurity concerns affecting Nigeria’s public institutions.
Earlier, the Corporate Affairs Commission shut its portal after detecting a cyber threat.
Consequently, the disruption lasted from April 17 to April 20 and raised data security concerns.
Reports also showed that attackers accessed systems and possibly exposed millions of documents.
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In response, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission launched an investigation into the incident.
It also warned about risks to sensitive corporate and personal data.
Global Cyber Threat Trends
Therefore, the Central Bank urged Nigerians to rely only on its official website for updates.
In addition, it advised the public to avoid suspicious links and protect personal information online.
It further urged people to verify any message claiming to come from the bank.
Previously, the CBN urged banks to strengthen cybersecurity as Nigeria moves towards open banking.
At the same time, global data highlights rising cyber risks driven by artificial intelligence.
For instance, a report by the Federal Bureau of Investigation showed increasing financial losses from cybercrime.
The report recorded over 893 million dollars lost to AI-related cybercrime cases in 2025.
It also noted complaints from over 200 countries, showing the global scale.
Notably, Nigeria ranked among the top 15 affected countries, with over 1,200 complaints.
Overall, authorities stress that awareness and caution remain key to preventing financial losses.
