THE Federal Government has outlined fresh measures aimed at addressing fraudulent phone calls and tracking criminal activities through Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure, as insecurity linked to mobile communication continues to generate public concern.
Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, disclosed this while speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme aired on Friday monitored by News Point Nigeria.
According to the minister, the challenge of criminal communication is “far more technical” than it is often portrayed, noting that criminals have continued to adapt their methods despite government interventions in the telecom sector.
The telecom sector has remained under intense scrutiny since 2020, when the Federal Government introduced the mandatory National Identification Number (NIN)–SIM linkage policy. The initiative was aimed at curbing fraud, anonymous communication and crimes perpetrated through unregistered mobile lines.
However, reports of kidnappers and bandits allegedly negotiating ransoms using mobile phones have raised concerns among Nigerians about the effectiveness of the policy.
Addressing these fears, Tijani said telecommunications companies had carried out extensive SIM clean-up exercises, but criminal networks have since shifted tactics.
“There was an exercise conducted by the telcos to clean out all SIMs. The reason the President pushed us to invest in towers in those areas was because we realised there was a special type of technology criminals were using to make calls,” he said.
The minister revealed that some criminal groups now exploit technologies that allow them to route calls through multiple telecom towers, making it difficult for security agencies to trace their exact locations.
“They are not using the normal towers; they bounce calls off multiple towers. That’s why they enjoy living in areas that are unconnected,” Tijani explained.
According to him, this tactic is particularly effective in remote and underserved areas with weak or non-existent network coverage, where tracking infrastructure is limited.
To address these vulnerabilities, the minister outlined a multi-pronged connectivity strategy that includes satellite upgrades, fibre-optic expansion and the deployment of thousands of new telecom towers across the country.
Tijani disclosed that Nigeria is currently the only country in West Africa operating its own communications satellites, a strategic advantage the Federal Government plans to strengthen.
“This is why we are upgrading our two satellites, so that if our towers are not working, our satellites will work,” he said.
He also confirmed that 4,000 new telecom towers will be deployed in underserved rural communities, many of which have become safe havens for kidnappers and illegal SIM operators.
The tower deployment project, to be executed in collaboration with Huawei, was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) last Wednesday.
“It is why we are investing in fibre. Next year this project will start. We are doing it with Huawei — 4,000 towers in rural areas,” Tijani stated.
According to the minister, the initiative is expected to significantly reduce telecom blackspots, enhance security surveillance, stimulate economic activities and improve digital inclusion in remote parts of the country.
Responding to questions on when Nigerians should expect the upgraded satellites to become operational, Tijani said satellite deployment represents the third phase of the broader connectivity plan and would take longer to complete.
“That one will take longer than the other two. The other two are well in progress,” he said.
The minister’s remarks come amid references to earlier emergency measures linking telecom services to security operations.
In September 2021, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) directed telecommunications companies to shut down services in Zamfara State due to escalating banditry and insecurity.
At the time, the Zamfara State Government said the shutdown aided military operations against bandits hiding in forest enclaves.
Then-Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Dosara, had said security forces recorded major successes following the shutdown.
“Security officials are finding it very easy to deal with the bandits in their enclaves in the forests,” Dosara had said.
However, in October 2021, telecom services were partially restored around the Gusau metropolis after improvements in security and concerns over economic hardship on residents and businesses.
Tijani emphasised that the Federal Government’s current approach seeks to balance national security with economic growth and digital inclusion.
He noted that by eliminating connectivity blind spots and strengthening surveillance infrastructure, the government aims to deny criminals the technological advantage they have long exploited.
“This is about ensuring that no part of the country becomes a safe haven because of poor connectivity,” the minister said.