Nigeria Sees 281,500 Compromised Accounts in Q1 2026

In the first quarter of 2026, Nigeria recorded 281,500 compromised user accounts, placing it 34th among countries affected by data breaches, according to a report by cybersecurity firm Surfshark. During this period, a total of 210.3 million accounts were breached globally, with the United States accounting for 29% of these incidents.

Nigeria's ranking, while outside the top 30, reflects a concerning trend, as it had previously recorded 24.1 million compromised accounts in 2004, making it the third most affected country in Sub-Saharan Africa. The report disclosed that 7.5 million unique email addresses linked to Nigerian users were exposed, with approximately 13 million passwords leaked.

Analysts warn that 54% of Nigerian users are at elevated risk of account takeover, identity theft, and extortion due to cyber-enabled crimes. The dataset indicates a significant increase in vulnerabilities, with a rise in phishing, SIM swap fraud, and financial scams, attributed partly to the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence technologies in businesses worldwide.