Data breaches targeting Nigerian organisations spiked dramatically in the third quarter of 2025, rising by 1,047 per cent compared to Q2, according to the latest Eagle’s Eyes Q3 Cybersecurity Report released by esentry.

The report revealed that Nigeria recorded an average of 6,101 weekly cyberattacks in July, a trend that persisted through the quarter and signalled a new phase in both the scale and sophistication of attacks—particularly against high-value sectors such as fintech.

Identity now the main entry point

Unlike previous years where cybercriminals relied heavily on exploiting software vulnerabilities, Q3 saw a decisive shift toward identity-driven intrusions. Attackers increasingly used valid login credentials—often harvested from old data leaks or left active after employees exited the organisation—to infiltrate corporate systems.

Digital forensics investigations by esentry found widespread instances of:

• dormant service accounts left active for years,
• stale identity tokens never revoked,
• excessive or unmonitored user privileges, and
• outdated access rights that granted attackers silent entry.

These neglected access points allowed adversaries to move quietly, maintain long-term persistence, and extract data without triggering early alarms.

From opportunistic to organised cybercrime

According to esentry’s Chief Business Officer, Gbolabo Awelewa, the threat landscape facing Nigeria has fundamentally changed.

“Nigeria is no longer dealing with opportunistic cybercrime but confronting organised, identity-driven campaigns that move with intent, patience and precision,” Awelewa said.
“Despite the surge, this moment is also a turning point. With the right controls, stronger identity oversight, and early-warning intelligence, organisations can stay ahead. Our role at esentry is to ensure cybersecurity is defined not by fear, but by preparedness and resilience.”

A global trend, amplified in Nigeria

The report noted that the rise in identity-centric attacks mirrors global patterns, but Nigeria experienced the shift more intensely due to:

• rapid digitisation across sectors,
• inconsistent identity and access governance structures,
• weak off-boarding processes, and
• gaps in monitoring authentication systems.

As Nigerian businesses hardened traditional infrastructure, attackers pivoted to identity—the “least protected surface”—using subtle, low-noise techniques to evade detection.

Identity-based threats to dominate 2026

Looking forward, esentry warned that identity misuse will be the defining cyber threat to Nigerian organisations in the coming year. The firm urged businesses to:

• adopt continuous identity oversight,
• monitor credential behaviour in real time,
• strengthen off-boarding and privilege reviews, and
• deploy systems capable of detecting subtle credential abuse.

The report concludes that Nigeria’s cyber resilience will depend on how quickly institutions adapt their security models to treat identity as the new perimeter.

esentry reaffirmed its commitment to providing end-to-end cybersecurity services tailored to the needs of organisations across sectors and sizes.