The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has clarified comments he made during a recent Channels Television interview regarding bandits and digital connectivity in Nigeria.
He issued the clarification on X, responding to public discussions and misinterpretations of his remarks.
The minister explained that his comments were made in the context of highlighting gaps in digital infrastructure, which can be exploited by criminals, and the government’s ongoing efforts to address them.
In a Channels TV interview, Dr. Bosun Tijani addressed concerns about the persistence of unregistered or fraudulent SIM cards despite the NIN-SIM linkage policy. He explained that criminals often bypass traditional networks by bouncing calls across multiple towers or exploiting areas with weak connectivity.
“There was an exercise that was conducted by the telcos to clean out all SIMs…we realised there was a special kind of technology that they were using to call. They weren’t using the normal towers. That’s why they enjoy living in areas where it’s unconnected at all,” he said.
Dr. Tijani added that to address these security challenges, the government is investing in telecom towers in remote areas, upgrading existing satellites, launching new communication satellites, expanding fibre networks in underserved regions.
Dr. Tijani stated that his objective during the interview was to explain how connectivity gaps in some parts of the country represent development and security vulnerabilities.
“My objective was to explain that gaps in digital infrastructure and connectivity in some parts of the country represent a development and security vulnerability. These gaps limit economic opportunity, restrict access to services, and weaken coordination and inclusion,” he said.
He highlighted government initiatives aimed at bridging these gaps, including:
“Project Bridge, a 90,000-kilometre national fibre-optic backbone that will connect every geopolitical zone, state, and local government area, providing the foundation for ubiquitous connectivity.
“The deployment of 3,700 new telecom towers to unserved and underserved communities, which will enable over 23 million Nigerians who are currently unconnected to access reliable communication services.
“The strengthening of NIGCOMSAT, including the replacement of its current satellite and the launch of two new communication satellites, to further enhance national coverage and resilience.
“These investments will deepen connectivity across the country, strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy, and ensure that digital infrastructure contributes meaningfully to economic prosperity, inclusion, and national development,” Dr. Tijani stated.
What you should know
In December 2020, the compulsory NIN‑SIM linkage policy began when the Federal Government directed telecom operators to ensure that every Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card was linked to a verified National Identity Number (NIN) to operate in Nigeria.
The policy was part of efforts to enhance national security and strengthen identity verification by making it harder for criminals to operate anonymously and enabling law enforcement agencies to trace mobile communications.
The policy was part of efforts to enhance national security and strengthen identity verification by making it harder for criminals to operate anonymously and enabling law enforcement agencies to trace mobile communications.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) set multiple deadlines over the years for completing the linkage, with September 14, 2024, announced as the final deadline for full verification and compliance. By late 2024, over 153 million SIMs had been successfully linked to verified NINs, representing about 96% compliance.
Concerns persist over why, even with the NIN‑SIM linkage process completed, bandits and other criminal networks are still able to communicate and coordinate activities without being easily traced through telecom data.