MTN Nigeria Confirms Cyberattack, Assures Core Infrastructure and Nigerian Operations Remain Secure
MTN Nigeria has confirmed that it recently experienced a cyberattack but reassured customers, partners, and stakeholders that its core infrastructure remains secure and that its Nigerian operations were not affected.
In a statement issued on Thursday, April 24, the telecom giant reported detecting unauthorized activity within its network systems. The company responded swiftly to isolate and contain the breach.
CEO Karl Toriola noted that preliminary investigations indicate the attackers attempted to disrupt services but did not succeed in compromising critical systems, including customer data and core operations. “We take cybersecurity very seriously and have robust systems in place to detect, isolate, and neutralize threats,” said Toriola. “Although this attack attempted to breach our defenses, our security protocols worked as intended, and our core infrastructure remains secure.”
While MTN did not disclose specific details about the nature or source of the attack, cybersecurity analysts have highlighted the increasing risks facing telecom operators in Africa, as rapid digital adoption expands the threat landscape. An internal source at MTN confirmed that Nigerian operations were completely unaffected, underscoring the resilience of the local network.
The incident comes at a time when Nigeria is accelerating its digital transformation efforts—an evolution that continues to heighten cybersecurity responsibilities for telecom providers. MTN added that it is collaborating with cybersecurity experts and relevant authorities to investigate the breach and reinforce its defenses against future threats.
