ProvidusUnity Customers Report Unauthorised Card Transactions Months After Data Breach
LAGOS – Several customers of ProvidusUnity Bank, formerly Providus Bank, have reported unauthorised transactions on their payment cards, months after a cyberattack exposed sensitive data belonging to several Nigerian institutions.
Affected customers took to the social media platform X on Friday to complain about suspicious deductions from their accounts. Some customers, who requested anonymity, also confirmed the incidents.
When contacted for comment, the bank’s spokesperson, Dafe Ivwurie, said the matter would be investigated internally but did not confirm or deny the allegations.
“Will do some internal investigation and revert,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report, the bank had not provided any further update on the complaints.
The latest reports come months after a major data breach in March 2026, when hackers compromised sensitive information belonging to several Nigerian institutions, including Sterling Bank and Remita. A hacker identified as Bytetobreach later published data reportedly obtained during the cyberattack.
In response to the incident, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) announced in April 2026 that it had opened an investigation. However, more than three months later, the commission has yet to release the findings of its probe.
Efforts to obtain an update from Babatunde Bamigboye, the NDPC’s Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations, regarding the fresh complaints by ProvidusUnity customers were unsuccessful, as he had not responded at the time of publication.
The reports come amid growing concerns over cybersecurity in Nigeria.
According to global cybersecurity company Surfboard, the country recorded approximately 281,000 email breaches during the first quarter of 2026 alone.
In June, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Bosun Tijani pledged that the NDPC would investigate the alleged illegal sale of Nigerians’ personal data by unauthorised websites.
Figures from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) indicate that Nigeria has about 148 million active internet users, while more than 130 million people have enrolled for the National Identification Number (NIN) from an estimated population of 250 million.
As internet adoption continues to grow, cybersecurity experts have warned that data breaches and digital fraud remain significant risks for individuals and organisations across the country.
