Hackers Breach Zenith Bank Database, Access Customer Data

Zenith Bank said its banking services and digital channels remain secure and fully operational, adding that its incident response protocols and cybersecurity measures were activated immediately after the breach was detected.

Hackers have breached the database of Zenith Bank, compromising limited customer information in a cyberattack that targeted organisations across multiple sectors globally.

In an email sent to customers on Tuesday, the bank disclosed that the attackers gained access to limited customer data, including email addresses and phone numbers. It, however, stressed that no sensitive banking credentials or financial systems were compromised.

Zenith Bank said its banking services and digital channels remain secure and fully operational, adding that its incident response protocols and cybersecurity measures were activated immediately after the breach was detected.

"As a precaution, we encourage our customers to remain vigilant against phishing emails, text messages or phone calls, and never disclose their password, PIN, One-Time Password (OTP) or other security credentials to anyone," the bank said.

The lender assured customers of its commitment to safeguarding their information and said investigations into the incident are ongoing.

The breach is the latest in a series of cyber threats targeting Nigeria's banking sector. In August 2024, Guaranty Trust Bank disclosed an attempted compromise of its website domain but said no customer data was affected.

The incident also comes months after the Central Bank of Nigeria warned Nigerians about cybercriminals circulating fraudulent emails and messages falsely claiming to originate from the apex bank.

The CBN said the fake communications were designed to trick recipients into revealing personal information by directing them to malicious links while spreading false claims about the bank's leadership, licensing activities and policy decisions.