Sterling bank data breach raises alarm over customer security

Sterling Bank data breach raises concern after man receives alerts for an account he never opened. Bank claims it was caused by another customer’s error

Sterling Bank data breach concerns are growing after a Nigerian man, Olalekan Adejumo (not real name), received multiple email alerts tied to an account he never opened with the bank.

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In a letter dated August 6, 2025, Sterling Bank responded to complaints from Adejumo’s legal team, revealing that the issue was caused by another customer who shares his full name and accidentally submitted Adejumo’s personal email while opening a bank account.

The issue was first reported by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) on July 18, 2025.

The report disclosed that Adejumo who has never been a Sterling Bank customer received a notification that a new account had been opened in his name on July 9.

Within days, he was bombarded with eight different email verification alerts, sparking fears of identity theft.

Even more troubling, a ₦5,000 deposit and withdrawal were made on the account the same day it was opened, by someone identified as LEGBETI Anuoluwapo Valerie.

Despite public outcry and repeated attempts to contact the bank, Sterling Bank remained silent for three weeks before finally responding.

The August 6 response blamed the mix-up on a customer error and assured that Adejumo’s email had been permanently removed from their system.

The Sterling Bank data breach has triggered public debate over Nigeria’s KYC (Know Your Customer) processes, with critics pointing to lax verification protocols that could expose citizens to identity fraud and digital intrusion.

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Observers are now calling on regulators and banks to strengthen their customer data protection systems and implement stricter measures during account creation.