The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has sounded the alarm, warning Nigerians that vulnerabilities in ChatGPT could expose them to serious data-leakage attacks. According to the advisory, weaknesses in the platform can be manipulated to steal personal or sensitive information, a risk users must not ignore.
NITDA’s alert comes at a time when digital service adoption is growing rapidly across Nigeria. Many users rely on ChatGPT for convenience: generating content, summarizing information, or even assisting with work tasks. But the convenience could come at a price: the unintended exposure of private data. If users feed the AI with confidential phone numbers, personal documents, business plans or financial data, such information could be vulnerable to interception or exploitation. In its statement, NITDA stressed that ChatGPT, like any software is not impervious to flaws that bad actors could exploit to gain unauthorized access to user data.
This is not the first time NITDA has issued cyber warnings over AI-related risks. In 2023, the agency alerted Nigerians about fake ChatGPT clones circulating online, phishing sites designed to trick users into downloading malware. Those fraudulent sites aimed to steal sensitive data like call logs, contact lists, SMS, media files, and more.
The recurring warnings reflect a broader challenge: Nigeria’s expanding digital ecosystem is generating vast amounts of personal and institutional data, but cyber-security safeguards are often lagging. According to a recent study, in 2025 alone, at least 119,000 Nigerian accounts were compromised in various digital breaches, highlighting how prevalent data vulnerabilities remain.
Experts argue that existing regulatory frameworks such as the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), though important, are no longer sufficient by themselves. As one researcher put it: “We’ve created a strong legal framework, but without enforcement, it’s mostly symbolic.” The risk is amplified by the rise of AI-driven cyber threats, sophisticated, automated, and often crossing borders.
The stakes go beyond individual privacy. For Nigeria’s digital economy to thrive, from fintech and healthcare to content creation and e-commerce, trust is critical. If users fear their data might be exposed, many may be reluctant to adopt online tools. As pointed out by NITDA’s leadership, “security builds and protects this trust.”
To reduce the risk, NITDA recommends caution: avoid inputting highly sensitive personal or financial data into ChatGPT or other AI tools; ensure devices and apps are regularly updated; download software only from trusted sources; and be alert for suspicious links or prompts.
What this means for businesses, particularly for startups, digital platforms, and any services handling client data is clear: they need to treat cybersecurity not as an afterthought, but as a foundation. Adopting stronger internal data-governance practices, encrypting stored data, restricting sensitive data input to AI tools, and training staff on cyber hygiene are more urgent than ever.
The warning from NITDA serves as a timely reminder: as Nigeria races to build a robust digital economy, the security of user data, individuals and organizations alike, must remain top priority.
The alert from NITDA arrives at a pivotal time for Nigeria’s digital economy, now contributing nearly one-fifth of GDP. Cyber-vulnerabilities in platforms like ChatGPT could erode public and investor trust, slowing fintech growth, discouraging digital adoption, and potentially deterring international tech investment needed to expand cloud services and AI infrastructure.
