On June 7, 2023, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) declared a viral ‘President Bola Tinubu N50,000 Cash Grant’ circulating on social media a fraudulent phishing scam. Hadiza Umar, NITDA’s Head of Corporate Affairs, issued a statement cautioning Nigerians against the scam, which uses the website ‘https://thryt.com/50k-CashGrants’ to steal personal data, per Vanguard.
Phishing Scheme Uncovered
NITDA’s Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (NITDA-CERRT) identified the website as a phishing tool designed to collect sensitive information, including names, phone numbers, addresses, email addresses, and bank account details. “Do not click this website or similar links to avoid cybercriminals,” Umar urged, stressing that legitimate government programs use official channels, per Punch.
Public Advisory Issued
NITDA advised Nigerians to avoid unverified links and refrain from sharing personal details on suspicious websites. The agency clarified that authentic government grants are announced through supervised agencies, not social media, per The Guardian Nigeria. The warning aligns with Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen cybersecurity, as seen in the 2020 National Cybersecurity Policy, which emphasizes public awareness.
Rising Cyber Threats in Nigeria
The fake grant scam exploits Nigeria’s economic challenges, with inflation at 29.9% in Q2 2023, per NBS, driving vulnerability to fraudulent schemes. In 2022, Nigeria recorded 5,841 cybercrime cases, costing $600 million, per EFCC data. Social media scams, often posing as government aid, target citizens amid events like the May 2023 fuel subsidy removal, which spiked living costs, per Al Jazeera.
Broader Context
The scam’s timing, shortly after Tinubu’s May 29, 2023, inauguration, mirrors regional fraud trends, such as Ghana’s cybersecurity crackdowns noted in earlier artifacts. Unlike legitimate initiatives, like the CBN’s N250 billion Gas Expansion Fund in 2023, per a previous artifact, fake grants lack official backing. NITDA urged citizens to verify information via trusted sources like its website or government portals to stay safe.
