The Federal Ministry of Education has firmly denied reports suggesting that the Nigeria Education Management Information System (NEMIS) was hacked, insisting that the platform remains secure and fully operational.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the ministry said claims of a cyberattack on the platform were inaccurate and did not reflect the actual situation.
The clarification came in response to a report titled “Suspected Cyberattack Hits FG’s Education Data Platform,” which alleged that the education database may have been compromised.
Reacting to the publication, the ministry stated that there was no security breach, unauthorised access, or attack on the system at any time.
According to the ministry, the issue experienced by some users was linked to an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate configuration problem at the hosting level. The technical fault temporarily affected the platform’s secure access certification and triggered warning messages on some browsers.
The ministry explained that the incident was purely technical and did not result in any loss of data, alteration of records, exposure of confidential information, or unauthorised access to the system.
It noted that immediately the issue was detected, its technical team collaborated with the hosting service provider to rectify the problem and restore normal operations.
Officials further assured users that NEMIS remains fully functional, secure, and accessible to authorised stakeholders across the country.
The ministry also emphasised that browser alerts related to SSL certificates should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of hacking or cyber intrusion.
It pointed out that security warnings generated by browsers can occur due to routine configuration challenges and do not necessarily indicate malicious activity.
The statement added that even expert opinions cited in the report acknowledged that SSL-related alerts can arise from technical issues rather than deliberate cyberattacks.
Reaffirming its commitment to data security, the ministry said it continues to implement strong safeguards, including regular monitoring, infrastructure protection measures, periodic security assessments, and system maintenance to ensure the platform’s reliability.
The ministry described NEMIS as a critical digital tool that supports the collection, management, and analysis of education data nationwide, helping government agencies make informed decisions and improve planning within the education sector.
It also highlighted the importance of the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure, describing it as a flagship government initiative designed to strengthen education data governance, integration, accessibility, and evidence-based policy development across the country.
The ministry urged the public and media organisations to verify technical issues before drawing conclusions that could create unnecessary concern among stakeholders.
It reiterated that the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of data on the NEMIS platform remain fully protected.
