Ghana’s President, John Mahama, had his verified 𝕏 account hacked for 48 hours, with cybercriminals using the account to promote a fraudulent cryptocurrency project, his spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday.
The breach, which began on Saturday and was discovered on Sunday, saw the compromised account posting endorsements for Solanafrica, a fake cryptocurrency initiative.
Naija News gathered that the hackers falsely claimed the project was led by President Mahama, stating it aimed to make payments across Africa free using the Solana blockchain.
The posts urged Mahama’s followers to invest in the scheme, claiming it would revolutionize financial transactions across the continent. However, the fraudulent content was deleted once the President’s team noticed the breach.
Despite the deletion of the fraudulent posts, Mahama’s account continued to share crypto-related content, including hints of a new memecoin launch.
Mahama’s spokesperson, Kwakye Ofosu, confirmed that immediate action was taken to regain control of the account. “The President’s 𝕏 account was compromised, and we have taken action to regain control,” Ofosu told AFP on Tuesday.
He assured the public that the account had been fully restored, urging followers to disregard any suspicious cryptocurrency-related posts.
This incident underscores the rising concern over the growing number of crypto-related scams in Africa. As digital assets gain popularity across the continent, scams have become increasingly common due to weak regulatory oversight.
Fraudsters often hijack verified social media accounts of prominent figures to promote fake investment opportunities. This is not the first instance of such breaches.
In July 2023, South African opposition leader Julius Malema’s 𝕏 account was hacked to promote a fraudulent token project. Similarly, in 2022, Nigerian businessman Tony Elumelu’s account was compromised, flooding his timeline with fake crypto giveaways.
The breach has raised alarm among cybersecurity experts, who warn high-profile figures, especially politicians and public figures, to strengthen their online security measures to prevent similar incidents.
A cybersecurity expert at Ghana’s Centre for Cyberwatch and Data Protection, Abubakar Issaka, in a chat with Punch stressed the need for stronger security measures. “Prominent personalities, especially those in government, need to implement stringent backend security checks,” Issaka advised.
“Two-factor authentication alone is no longer enough. They must also monitor log-in activities, limit third-party app access, and have a dedicated team ensuring 24/7 surveillance of their accounts to detect and neutralize any suspicious activity before it escalates,” he added.
The Solana blockchain has gained significant traction in Africa due to its lower transaction fees compared to major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Unfortunately, scammers have increasingly used its name to defraud investors, further highlighting the vulnerabilities in the crypto space.
In response to the attack, Ofosu assured the public that necessary steps had been taken to prevent further misuse of Mahama’s account, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding online spaces from malicious actors.