While most people were going about their weekend, hackers took control of Ghanaian President John Mahama‘s verified X account, using it to promote a bogus cryptocurrency project called “Solanafrica.” The 48-hour breach, which began on Saturday and was noticed the following day, saw the perpetrators falsely claiming the scheme was endorsed by Mahama himself.
The hackers didn’t hold back. They boldly presented “Solanafrica” as a revolutionary financial initiative supposedly led by Ghana’s president. Free payments across Africa! Revolutionary blockchain technology! All lies, of course. Even after initial posts were deleted, the criminals kept pushing crypto content and teasing the launch of some new memecoin. Because nothing says “presidential priorities” like hawking digital tokens to your followers.
Spokesperson Kwakye Ofosu eventually confirmed what everyone suspected – the account had been compromised. By Tuesday, Mahama himself posted that he’d regained control, warning the public to ignore those suspicious cryptocurrency posts. Too late for some, probably.
This isn’t exactly a one-off incident. South African opposition leader Julius Malema fell victim to similar shenanigans in 2023. Nigerian businessman Tony Elumelu got hit in 2022. There’s a pattern here, folks. Africa’s growing crypto market is a magnet for fraudsters looking to exploit high-profile verified accounts. These scammers exploit the pseudonymous transactions that cryptocurrencies offer while undermining the legitimate security benefits of blockchain technology.
Cybersecurity experts are now wagging their fingers about two-factor authentication not being enough. They’re pushing for stricter backend security checks, constant monitoring of login activities, and 24/7 surveillance teams. Good luck with that.
Meanwhile, Solana’s actually gaining popularity across Africa thanks to lower transaction fees. Ironic that scammers are using its name to con people. The whole mess highlights the glaring need for better digital literacy and stronger regulations around cryptocurrencies in African nations. The scammers specifically claimed they would make payments across Africa free using the Solana blockchain, preying on legitimate regional financial concerns. Despite these incidents, Africa remains the smallest crypto economy globally, making these targeted scams particularly damaging to market development.
For now, the account is secure. But let’s be real – it probably won’t be the last time we see hackers targeting prominent figures in Africa’s emerging digital economy.
