Cybercriminals took over Ghanaian President John Mahama’s verified X account for two days, using it to promote a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme.
His spokesperson, Kwakye Ofosu, confirmed the incident on Tuesday.
The hack began on Saturday, but it was first noticed on Sunday when the account started endorsing “Solanafrica,” falsely claiming Mahama was behind the initiative to facilitate free payments across Africa using the Solana blockchain.
The hackers encouraged followers to invest in the project, misleading them into believing it was a legitimate financial revolution.
Although Mahama’s team quickly removed the fraudulent posts, the compromised account continued sharing crypto-related content, including teasers for a new memecoin.
Ofosu assured the public that the account was now fully restored and urged people to ignore any suspicious cryptocurrency promotions.
This incident underscores the increasing threat of crypto scams in Africa, where digital currencies are growing in popularity amid weak regulatory oversight.
Similar breaches have previously targeted high-profile figures like South African opposition leader Julius Malema and Nigerian businessman Tony Elumelu.
Cybersecurity expert Abubakar Issaka stressed that government officials and public figures must enhance their online security.
He recommended advanced monitoring systems, restricted third-party app access, and constant account surveillance.
Mahama later confirmed the restoration of his account and thanked supporters for their concerns.
Authorities have since taken steps to prevent further misuse of his social media presence.