The clarification follows a report by The Guardian Newspaper alleging that a suspected cyberattack had hit the government’s education data platform.
The Federal Ministry of Education has dismissed a media report claiming that the Nigeria Education Management Information System (NEMIS) was affected by a cyberattack, describing the publication as inaccurate and misleading.
The clarification follows a report by The Guardian Newspaper alleging that a suspected cyberattack had hit the government’s education data platform. However, the Ministry stated that at no time was NEMIS hacked, breached, or subjected to any form of cyberattack, adding that the system remains secure and fully operational.
According to the Ministry, the temporary warning message observed by some users was caused by an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate configuration issue at the hosting level. It explained that the incident was purely technical and did not involve any unauthorized access, data loss, data alteration, or exposure of sensitive information.
The Ministry further stated that its technical team, working with the hosting service provider, promptly resolved the issue and restored normal platform operations. It emphasized that NEMIS remains stable, secure, and accessible to authorized users.
Officials also noted that SSL-related browser warnings do not necessarily indicate a cyberattack or data breach, stressing that such alerts can result from routine technical or configuration challenges. They added that even expert commentary referenced in the report acknowledged that such issues should not be interpreted as evidence of malicious activity.
The Ministry highlighted that NEMIS continues to play a critical role in supporting education data collection, management, and planning across the sector. It also reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening cybersecurity measures, system monitoring, and infrastructure safeguards under the broader Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI) framework.
Finally, the Ministry urged media organizations and members of the public to verify information through official channels before publication, warning against the spread of unverified claims that could undermine public confidence in government digital systems. It reiterated its commitment to transparency, digital governance, and data security in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
