FG denies cyberattack on NEMIS, blames SSL certificate error

The Federal Ministry of Education has denied claims that the Nigeria Education Management Information System (NEMIS) was hacked, stating that the security warning users encountered on the platform last week was due to a routine technical error, rather than a cyberattack.

The Ministry released a disclaimer in a statement signed by Folasade Boriowo, the Director of Press and Public Relations. This statement was in response to a report published by The Guardian newspaper titled “Suspected Cyberattack Hits FG’s Education Data Platform.” The report indicated that users visiting the NEMIS website on Thursday morning encountered a browser warning suggesting that attackers might be attempting to steal their information.

The Ministry stated that the warning was due to a configuration issue with the SSL certificate at the hosting level. This technical fault caused browsers to mark the site as potentially unsafe, even though there had been no actual security breach. SSL certificates enable websites to create secure, encrypted connections with their visitors. If an SSL certificate expires or is misconfigured, browsers will automatically display security warnings, even in the absence of any malicious activity.

“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 announced that its technical team, in collaboration with the hosting service provider, promptly identified and resolved the issue after it was reported. NEMIS is now fully functional and accessible to all authorised users.

What NEMIS is and why it matters

NEMIS is the Federal Government’s centralized platform for collecting, managing, and reporting educational data across Nigeria’s school system.

Managed by the Ministry of Education, it is utilised by planners, policymakers, and development partners to track school enrollment, monitor performance, and support education planning nationwide. A compromise of this platform would impact a substantial amount of data concerning millions of students across the country.

The Ministry urged media organisations and members of the public to seek clarification through official channels before publishing or circulating claims about government digital systems.

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