The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has warned Nigerians about the growing threat of sextortion, an online form of blackmail in which criminals threaten to expose intimate images or videos unless their targets meet certain demands.

The warning was issued through NITDA’s Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (CERRT) as part of activities around Cybersecurity Awareness Month. NITDA-CERRT is responsible for cybersecurity awareness, threat intelligence and incident-response support in Nigeria.

According to the advisory, sextortion can affect children, teenagers and adults and may begin through social media platforms, messaging applications, dating services or online gaming communities.

NITDA also highlighted a newer dimension of the threat involving artificial intelligence. Criminals can use AI-generated or manipulated material to create convincing fake explicit images, meaning a victim may be targeted even when no genuine intimate photograph or video was originally shared.

The agency explained that sextortion typically involves a perpetrator threatening to distribute intimate material unless the victim sends money, provides additional material or follows other demands.

NITDA cautioned that giving in to such demands does not necessarily bring the threats to an end. Instead, perpetrators may continue making demands, leaving victims exposed to further financial loss, emotional distress and reputational harm.

Children and teenagers can be particularly vulnerable because embarrassment, fear or shame may discourage them from telling a trusted adult or reporting what is happening.

The agency therefore urged Nigerians to exercise caution when communicating online and avoid sharing intimate images or videos digitally, even where they believe they know and trust the person on the other side of the conversation.

For anyone already facing threats, NITDA advises against paying the perpetrator or sending additional material. The agency's guidance is that complying with demands can result in further attempts at blackmail.

NITDA's wider cybersecurity guidance also encourages people to verify online identities before sharing information and to use basic security measures such as two-factor authentication and updated software.

The warning comes amid broader concerns about the growing use of artificial intelligence in cybercrime across Africa. INTERPOL's 2026 African Cyberthreat Assessment found that AI was linked to 55 per cent of reported cybercrime across the continent. The assessment also identified digital sextortion and online harassment involving AI-generated deepfakes and synthetic media as significant threats.

INTERPOL said approximately 600,000 sextortion detections were recorded by TrendAI, one of the private-sector partners that contributed data to the assessment. The organisation said the figures demonstrate how emerging technologies are making some forms of cybercrime easier to scale.

The threat is not entirely new. INTERPOL's previous African cyberthreat assessment also identified digital sextortion as a widespread problem, with 60 per cent of surveyed African member countries reporting an increase in sextortion reports in the earlier assessment period.

NITDA's latest warning therefore adds to growing calls for greater digital awareness as online criminals adopt increasingly sophisticated methods. For users, the agency's message is clear: greater caution over what is shared online and prompt reporting of suspected abuse can help limit the damage caused by cybercriminals.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia