A cybersecurity professional from the Nigerian Computer Society has downplayed recent reports of a data breach involving Remita and other Nigerian banks, describing the incident as “overblown” and urging the public to maintain perspective.
Speaking anonymously due to regulatory considerations, the expert cautioned against drawing conclusions from unverified claims circulating online. The professional emphasized that cyber incidents are a regular occurrence globally and not unique to any single platform or country.
“Organisations across the world face similar threats daily, including major international banks and technology firms,” the expert explained. “No organisation in the world is immune to attack, not even Pentagon, FBI and CIA. What matters is the speed of response and system resilience.”
The comments come as Remita has reassured its partners that its systems remain fully operational, with no impact on payment processing or financial data. In communications shared with banks, the company stated that the incident is limited to unauthorized access to certain non-financial data, and that all payment infrastructure—including bank integrations and APIs—remains secure.
The cybersecurity expert noted that companies frequently encounter such challenges, resolve them quickly, and continue operations without significant disruption. “Even money deposit banks sometimes experience losses from malicious actors, yet they typically recover quickly,” the professional said. “This highlights the resilience of the financial system and suggests that recovery should be even more straightforward for a platform like Remita, which primarily provides switching infrastructure.”
The expert attributed such incidents to criminal actors seeking to create the impression of systemic weakness. “From what has been communicated, there is no evidence of financial compromise, and operations are continuing as normal. These situations should be addressed factually and not exaggerated.”
The professional pointed out that many other financial institutions in Nigeria, including banks, have faced similar attacks in recent times, strengthened their defenses, and continued operations without disruption. This pattern, they suggested, demonstrates the robustness of Nigeria’s financial technology ecosystem when properly managed.
The incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing cybersecurity challenges facing financial institutions globally, while also highlighting the importance of measured responses and factual reporting in maintaining public confidence in digital payment systems.
