MTN Group, Africa’s largest telecom company, suffers cyberattack

MTN Group, Africa’s largest telecom operator, with 290.9 million subscribers, has suffered a cybersecurity incident that resulted in unauthorised access to personal information of some of its customers in certain markets.

The company, however, stated that its core network, billing systems, and financial services infrastructure remain secure and fully operational. On Thursday, MTN Group disclosed that an unknown third party has claimed to have accessed data linked to parts of its systems.

“At this stage, we do not have any information to suggest that customers’ accounts and wallets have been directly compromised. The Group immediately activated its cybersecurity response processes, including informing the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Hawks in South Africa,” it said.

The group said it has informed relevant country authorities and will continue to update them while working closely with them and law enforcement agencies. “We are in the process of notifying affected customers in compliance with local legal and regulatory obligations,” the operator said.

So far, MTN Nigeria, the group’s largest market by subscriber base, is unaffected by this attack, according to insiders.

MTN Group further advised all its customers to remain vigilant and follow regular security measures, such as keeping their MTN, MoMo, and banking apps and devices updated.

Use strong, unique passwords for accounts and change them regularly. Be cautious of unexpected messages and do not click on suspicious links. Do not disclose information such as passwords, PINs and OTP when asked to do so by phone, text message or email. Where multifactor authentication is available, it should be activated,” it added.

This attack on MTN reflects rising cyber activity on the continent. Africa had the highest average attacks globally at 3,286 in the first quarter of 2025, according to Check Point Software.

South Africa had the most dramatic rise, with a year-on-year increase of 69 percent to 1884 attacks per week. The telecoms sector also experienced the highest percentage increase globally, with a 94 percent jump, reaching 2,664 attacks per week.

According to Deloitte, telecom companies have become a big target for cyber attackers because they build, control and operate critical infrastructure that is used to communicate and store large amounts of sensitive data.

It noted that customer data is a popular high-impact target as hackers can use it to blackmail customers, conduct identity theft, steal money or launch further attacks.

“The continued rise in cyber-attacks underscores the need for more robust security measures. Organisations must prioritise strengthening their cyber security postures,” added Lionel Dartnall, Country Manager SADC, Check Point Software Technologies.