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The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has explained how the Federal Government plans to curb kidnapping and other security threats by closing critical gaps within Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Tijani said crimes linked to phone usage and ransom negotiations are more complex than the public often assumes, noting that the challenge goes beyond the use of unregistered SIM cards.
He explained that while the National Identification Number and SIM linkage policy was an important first step, criminal networks have since adapted their methods.
According to the minister, kidnappers and other criminal groups now deploy advanced techniques that allow them to bypass conventional telecom towers by routing calls through multiple towers, particularly in remote and poorly connected areas.
“They were not using the normal towers; they bounce calls off multiple towers. That’s why they enjoy living in areas that are unconnected,” Tijani said.
He added that the Tinubu administration identified this weakness early and prioritised investments in telecom infrastructure within insecurity prone regions.
Tijani said the government is pursuing a multi layered connectivity strategy to eliminate network blind spots and strengthen security surveillance nationwide.
He disclosed that Nigeria remains “the only West African country” operating its own communications satellites, adding that the government is upgrading its existing satellites to ensure uninterrupted connectivity where terrestrial networks fail.
“This is why we are upgrading our two satellites, so that if our towers are not working, our satellites will work,” he said.
The minister also revealed that the Federal Executive Council has approved a partnership with Huawei to deploy 4,000 new telecom towers in underserved rural communities, with construction expected to begin next year.
He said the project will significantly boost rural connectivity, support economic activities, and enhance security monitoring.
Tijani noted that while satellite deployment is crucial, it remains the third phase of the plan and will take longer to fully activate than the fibre optic and tower expansion projects, which he said are already progressing.
