Ghana’s President John Mahama’s verified X account was compromised for 48 hours, with cybercriminals using it to promote a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme, his spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday.
The breach, which started on Saturday, was first noticed on Sunday when the compromised account began posting endorsements for “Solanafrica,” falsely claiming it was “led by Ghana’s President John Mahama to make payments across Africa free using the Solana blockchain.”
Hackers encouraged Mahama’s followers to invest in the scheme, falsely presenting it as an initiative to transform financial transactions across the continent.
Although the fraudulent posts were eventually deleted, the accrerdn action to regain control,” spokesperson Kwakye Ofosu told AFP on Tuesday.
“The account has now been fully restored, and we urge the public to disregard any suspicious cryptocurrency-related posts from the handle.”
The breach underscores growing concerns over the rise of crypto-related scams in Africa, where digital assets are increasingly popular but regulatory oversight remains weak. Cybercriminals often hijack verified accounts to push fraudulent investment schemes.
Mahama later confirmed the restoration of his account, writing on X: “My team has restored my account, working with the X support team. Thank you for your enquiries and offers to assist.”
This incident is not the first of its kind 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.
Cybersecurity experts are urging high-profile figures to strengthen security measures to prevent such breaches.
“Prominent personalities, especially those in government, need to implement stringent backend security checks,” said Abubakar Issaka, a cybersecurity expert at Ghana’s Centre for Cyberwatch and Data Protection.
“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 neutralise any suspicious activity before it escalates.”
Solana has gained popularity in Africa due to its lower transaction fees compared to Bitcoin and Ethereum. However, scammers have increasingly used its name to deceive investors.
Ofosu assured that authorities had taken necessary steps to prevent further misuse of Mahama’s account.
