FG Dismisses Reported Cyberattack on Education Data Platform

June 16, () — The Federal Government has denied reports alleging that the country’s education data platform, the Nigeria Education Management Information System (NEMIS), was compromised by a cyberattack, insisting that no breach occurred and that all data on the platform remains secure.

The clarification followed a publication by The Guardian titled “Suspected Cyberattack Hits FG’s Education Data Platform,” which suggested that the Federal Government’s education database may have suffered a security breach.

Reacting to the report on Tuesday, they described the publication as inaccurate and misleading, maintaining that there was no cyberattack, hacking incident, or unauthorized breach of the system.

In a statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the government stated that at no point was the platform compromised.

“The Ministry wishes to categorically state that the report is inaccurate and misleading. At no time was the NEMIS platform hacked, breached, or subjected to any cyberattack. The integrity, confidentiality, and availability of data on the platform remain fully intact,” the statement read.

The ministry explained that concerns were triggered after some users encountered temporary browser security warnings while attempting to access the platform, but clarified that the issue was purely technical and unrelated to cybersecurity threats.

According to the ministry, the warning resulted from an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate configuration issue at the hosting level, which temporarily affected the platform’s secure access certification.

It stressed that the incident neither involved unauthorized access nor resulted in data loss, data alteration, or exposure of sensitive information.

“The incident was purely technical in nature and did not involve any unauthorized access to the system, data loss, data alteration, or exposure of sensitive information,” the statement added.

The ministry said its technical team immediately identified the problem and collaborated with the hosting service provider to rectify the issue, restoring full service operations within a short time.

It confirmed that the platform remains fully functional, secure, and accessible to all authorised users.

Addressing concerns raised by the cyberattack report, the ministry noted that browser security warnings or SSL certificate-related alerts should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of hacking or a data breach.

It pointed out that cybersecurity experts referenced in the initial report had acknowledged that such alerts could arise from routine technical or configuration issues and do not necessarily indicate malicious activity.

The ministry further emphasised the importance of NEMIS as a critical digital infrastructure supporting the collection, management, and utilisation of education data across Nigeria, describing the platform as central to policy development and education sector planning.

It said multiple cybersecurity safeguards remain in place, including regular system monitoring, infrastructure protection measures, and periodic security assessments aimed at protecting the platform from actual threats.

The statement also highlighted the role of the (NEDI), describing it as the Federal Government’s flagship framework for improving education data governance, integration, accessibility, and evidence-based planning nationwide.

According to the ministry, ensuring the security and integrity of digital systems supporting the initiative remains a top priority.

The government also cautioned media organisations and members of the public against disseminating unverified reports capable of creating unnecessary panic or undermining public confidence in government digital infrastructure.

It urged stakeholders to seek clarification through official government channels before publishing reports concerning sensitive public digital systems.

Reaffirming its commitment to digital governance, transparency, and information security, the ministry said it remains dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of accountability in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President.

The government advised the public, education stakeholders, and development partners to disregard reports suggesting that the NEMIS platform had been compromised, insisting that claims of a cyberattack are entirely unfounded.