The Federal Ministry of Education has refuted reports alleging that the Nigeria Education Management Information System (NEMIS) was hacked, maintaining that the platform remains secure and was never subjected to a cyberattack.
The ministry’s response followed a publication titled “Suspected Cyberattack Hits FG’s Education Data Platform,” which suggested that the education data system may have been compromised.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, the ministry described the report as inaccurate and misleading.
According to the statement, there was no security breach, cyberattack, or unauthorized access to the platform at any time. The ministry stressed that the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of data stored on NEMIS remain fully protected.
The ministry explained that the warning message encountered by some users was caused by a technical issue involving the platform’s Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate configuration at the hosting level.
It noted that the issue only affected the platform’s secure access certification and did not result in data loss, alteration of records, unauthorized access, or exposure of sensitive information.
The statement emphasized that the incident was purely technical and should not be interpreted as evidence of malicious activity or a system compromise.
According to the ministry, its technical team worked closely with the hosting service provider to resolve the problem immediately after it was detected. The issue was subsequently fixed, and normal operations were restored without disruption to the platform’s core functions.
The ministry further clarified that browser security alerts linked to SSL certificates do not automatically indicate a cyberattack or data breach. It added that experts cited in the original report had acknowledged that such warnings can arise from routine technical or configuration issues.
Reaffirming its confidence in the platform, the ministry stated that NEMIS continues to serve as a critical digital tool for the collection, management, and utilization of education data across Nigeria.
It also highlighted ongoing efforts to protect the system through comprehensive security measures, including continuous monitoring, infrastructure safeguards, and regular security assessments.
The statement further underscored the importance of the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI), describing it as the Federal Government’s flagship initiative for strengthening education data governance, integration, accessibility, and evidence-based planning within the sector.
The ministry urged media organizations and members of the public to verify information through official channels before publishing or sharing claims about government digital platforms. It warned that unverified reports could create unnecessary public concern and undermine confidence in critical national systems.
