When the foundations of an institution are tested, the cracks reveal both weaknesses and opportunities for renewal. The early 1960s were very exciting times for many African countries, and Cameroon was not left out. Shortly after gaining independence, the country was on the path to the renaissance in all domains. More jobs were created as the public service and state corporations flourished. 

To keep all these together, workers were required who were well catered for. To ensure these workers and their families had a safety net in the event of retirement, disability, illness, or death, the National Social Insurance Fund (CNPS) was created. It is a mandatory programme for employees working in the formal sector of the economy, and is open to self-employed individuals too. More than just an institution, the CNPS was akin to a welfare promise to Cameroonian workers and their families.

With an estimated height of over 20 stories, the CNPS headquarters in the nation’s capital symbolises the institution’s role as a pillar for millions of Cameroonian families through the social security system. Its towering presence reflects the organisation’s role in safeguarding the welfare of workers and their families. This position was further emphasised when the institution announced it was digitalising its systems. Fitting squarely into the Digital Economy promises by the country’s President, the move was meant to boost efficiency and data security, and speed up processes by cutting out paperwork. 

But a few years later, this pillar faced one of its biggest challenges yet. Far from being a natural or physical disaster, it was worse. It was a cyber breach. In September 2024, media outlets reported that a notorious hacking group, Space Bears had infiltrated the institution’s systems, exposing 10GB-worth of information. The move they added, exposed the personal data of over 1.5 million Cameroonians. 

The Fund denied the reports, but later backtracked, claiming the said data was already public before the breach. This inconsistency raised questions about the institution’s crisis management and could indicate deeper structural or communicative gaps. For an institution supposedly rooted in trust, the breach was not just a technological failure—it was a breach of confidence.

Understanding data breaches

A typical data breach involves unconventional means being used to infiltrate an organisation’s data through a weakness or, in some cases, brute force. The weakness could be anything from outdated software to a poorly trained employee clicking on the wrong link. Breaches often take different forms, including phishing, malware attacks, insider threats, and institutions’ failure to update their systems regularly, exposing them to vulnerabilities. 

These breaches can lead to stolen sensitive information, disrupted operations, and massive financial losses. The stolen data might include customer records, financial transactions, or even personal identification details. For institutions like the CNPS, which handle vast amounts of employee data and social security funds, such a breach could have far-reaching implications. Public institutions often face systemic challenges, including budget neglect for IT upgrades and gadgets, and a lack of cybersecurity expertise, which exacerbate vulnerabilities.

Regardless of whether or not the CNPS breach was authentic or had far-reaching consequences, it was definitely a defining moment in Cameroon’s data privacy conversation. Not only did it unveil the cracks within the system, but it also provided a chance for introspection and a better understanding of the need for a better digital road map going forward. A lesson other public structures could learn. 

Nothing learned, nothing forgotten

Despite priding itself as a leader in the Central African sub-region, Cameroon’s public institutions still have a lot to implement in terms of digital progress. From instituting robust digital infrastructure and proactive defense mechanisms to cybersecurity measures, staff training and regular audits, the list is long. In a world where data is as valuable as oil, safeguarding it must be a national priority.

In addition to these, transparency and accountability are needed if the Social Insurance institution seeks to rebuild trust with its stakeholders.  Advocating for open communication and an honest conversation provides a good place to start. This too will conveniently set a pace for reflection of such measures across public institutions, a demonstration of their readiness for more complex digital times ahead. 

Specific policies too, such as mandatory cybersecurity audits or partnerships with tech firms, will go a long way to avoid similar incidents in the future. Emulating noteworthy examples like Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to oversee compliance with data protection guidelines, and South Africa’s National Cyber Security Authority (NCSA) to monitor threats in real-time, will also keep such breaches to a bare minimum.

The resilience of CNPS and public institutions in this digital age will largely depend on learning from the past. Without immediate action, the cracks revealed by today’s breach will inevitably become tomorrow’s chasms, threatening not just institutions but public trust and the lives of millions of Cameroonians.

Author: Giyo Ndzi, Communications Officer at Paradigm Initiative