The “Nigeria Cybersecurity Outlook 2026” report by Deloitte, published in January 2026, announces that ransomware and phishing should intensify in Nigeria in 2026 due to the accelerated digitization of the Nigerian economy.

Nigeria is one of the most important African countries exposed to cybercrime. In particular, the country is confronted with forms various attacks, including phishing, romance scams (romance scam), ransomware, business email compromise, and digital sextortion. According to the Deloitte report, ransomware attacks (ransomware) and phishing (phishing) are expected to intensify in Nigeria in 2026, as services, payments and data migrate massively in line.

Deloitte attributes this expected increase to democratization of tools and techniques formerly reserved for cybercriminals experienced attackers, now accessible to less experienced attackers. This evolution extends risks well beyond large organizations. SMEs, schools, hospitals and public administrations are increasingly targeted, in especially when the resources or budgets devoted to security are restricted.

The firm explains in its report that Phishing campaigns gain credibility through intelligence artificial. Attackers can now faithfully imitate communications from trusted colleagues, banks, suppliers or regulatory authorities. Once access to a user's account is obtained, Not only can ransomware operators lock down systems, but also discreetly exfiltrate customer data, threaten to disclose it and put pressure on organizations to obtain ransom payments.

According to the document, “building resilience does not always require solutions complexes. Regular staff awareness, better protection accounts, basic monitoring of unusual activities, and plans for Clearly defined recoveries can significantly reduce the impact. Les organizations that prepare early are much more likely to recover quickly. Those who think they are not potential targets can discover that a single convincing message is enough to cause serious disturbances”.