The official X account of Ghana’s President, H.E. John Mahama, has been confirmed compromised and is being used to promote Solano Africa cryptocurrency.
The breach was confirmed by the country’s Minister of State for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, who assured the public that recovery efforts are underway.
“Yes, the account has been hacked. Some unscrupulous persons have gained access to it, but recovery efforts are ongoing, and we expect to resolve the issue soon,” he stated.
Also, the Cybersecurity Authority of Ghana via an X post released a public notice acknowledging the fact the President’s account had been compromised after receiving a report.
The incident underscores the growing threat of cyberattacks on high-profile accounts, highlighting the sophisticated tactics employed by attackers.
With cybercriminals continuously refining their methods to exploit human vulnerabilities, such breaches serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for robust security measures.
Social engineering at its best
Attackers controlling the President’s X account posted a deceptive message promoting Solana, using a real, non-AI-generated video of him speaking at the Africa Prosperity Dialogue.
While the President’s actual speech focused on digital finance adoption, attackers manipulated its context to make their promotion appear legitimate.
To add credibility, the hackers also created a one-page website, labelled SolanaAfrica, claiming that President John Mahama is leading an initiative to make crypto payments across Africa free using the Solana blockchain.
Beyond the President, the site falsely lists two high-profile individuals:
- Dean Adansi Chief — Misrepresented as CEO and Executive Director of the Ghana International Bank (GHIB).
- Hon. John Kumah — Listed as Deputy Minister for Finance, despite having passed away in 2024.
If you understand the urgency and deception of social engineering, you’ll spot the scam instantly. These false details expose the entire truth of nothing more than a carefully executed scam.
Incidents of high-profile social media hacks in Africa
It is not the first time a high-profile account has been compromised for crypto promotions. This year alone, Africa has experienced high-profile cases related to account comprising and crypto promotions.
Just recently, the official social media accounts of the South African Parliament were hacked on March 15, 2025, to promote a cryptocurrency token named after President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Also, Tanzanian billionaire Mohammed Dewji’s X account was compromised by crypto scammers who utilized deepfake technology to promote a fraudulent cryptocurrency token named $Tanzania.
Again, the official Facebook and Twitter accounts of Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) were hacked, which resulted in unauthorized posts promoting cryptocurrency schemes.
And now the turn of Ghana’s highest office.
What is the problem?
According to a report by Knowbe4, the awareness of cybercrime in Africa rose to 58% in 2024 from 29% in 2023.
On top of that, 83% of African employees are confident in their ability to recognize cyber threats. Meanwhile, more than half (53%) do not understand what ransomware is.
In a recent report by the company, 91% of South African professionals believe they can detect phishing, yet 68% fall victim to scams.
The only way to stay ahead of attackers or scammers is through constant learning.
Security awareness education should be a priority for government bodies and organizations, especially with their social media management team.
Attacks against high-profile accounts in Africa demonstrate the holistic security posture of the continent. We can do better as a continent.
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