Ghana’s President John Mahama’s verified X account was hacked for 48 hours, with cybercriminals using it to promote a fraudulent cryptocurrency project, his spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday.
The breach, which began on Saturday, became apparent on Sunday when the compromised account started promoting “Solanafrica,” falsely claiming it was an initiative led by Mahama to facilitate free payments across Africa using the Solana blockchain.
The hackers urged his followers to invest in the scheme, portraying it as a revolutionary financial solution.
Although the fraudulent posts were swiftly deleted, the account continued sharing crypto-related content, including hints about the launch of a new memecoin.
“The President’s X account was compromised, and we have taken action to regain control,” spokesman Kwakye Ofosu told AFP.
“The account has now been fully restored, and we urge the public to disregard any suspicious cryptocurrency-related posts from the handle.”
The incident highlights the growing threat of crypto-related scams in Africa, where digital assets have surged in popularity amid weak regulatory oversight. Cybercriminals frequently hijack verified accounts to push fake investment schemes.
Following the recovery of his account, Mahama reassured the public on X, stating, “My team has restored my account, working with the X support team. Thank you for your enquiries and offers to assist.”
This is not the first high-profile social media breach in Africa. In July 2023, South African opposition leader Julius Malema’s X account was hacked and used to promote a fraudulent token. Similarly, Nigerian businessman Tony Elumelu’s account was compromised in 2022, leading to bogus crypto giveaways.
Cybersecurity experts are urging public figures to adopt stronger security measures. “Two-factor authentication alone is no longer enough,” said Abubakar Issaka of Ghana’s Centre for Cyberwatch and Data Protection.
“Prominent personalities must monitor login activities, limit third-party app access, and have dedicated teams for 24/7 account surveillance.”
Solana, known for its low transaction fees compared to Bitcoin and Ethereum, has been increasingly exploited by scammers to defraud investors.
Ofosu assured that authorities had taken necessary steps to prevent further misuse of Mahama’s account.
