By The potential of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry is hampered by the country’s overall vulnerability to cyber-attacks.
This is according to Check Point Software Technologies, which advises the West African country to strengthen cyber security measures in the sector.
According to recent statistics, the oil and gas industry is a cornerstone of Nigeria’s economy, accounting for approximately 90% of the country’s foreign exchange earnings and contributing about 5.5% to GDP.
In addition to making a significant contribution to GDP and foreign exchange earnings, the sector is also critical in funding infrastructure development, social programs, and public services.
According to Check Point’s African Perspectives on Cyber Security Report 2024, Nigeria continues to have one of the highest rates of cyber-attacks in Africa, with organisations being attacked an average of 3,759 times each week.
This frightening ratio emphasises the urgent need for strong cyber security measures to defend important sectors such as oil and gas, finance, government, and healthcare, according to Check Point..
“Successful cyber-attacks on the energy sector as a whole, can lead to operational disruptions, financial losses, and the compromise of sensitive data,” said Kingsley Oseghale, country manager West Africa, Check Point Software Technologies.
“The most common vulnerability exploit type in Nigeria is Information Disclosure, impacting 80% of the organisations.”
