The Nigerian government has acknowledged that security agencies continue to face significant technical challenges in tracing SIM cards used by kidnappers and criminal networks, even with mandatory National Identification Number (NIN) linkage.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, made the disclosure on Friday, highlighting the government’s ongoing efforts to combat insecurity through the telecommunications sector. Speaking on Channels Television, he described the issue as “far more technical” than most Nigerians realise, noting that criminal groups have adapted to existing surveillance methods by using sophisticated communication techniques in areas with poor network coverage.
Since 2020, the Federal Government has enforced compulsory NIN–SIM registration to curb fraud, anonymous communication, and crimes involving unregistered phone lines. However, Tijani admitted that kidnappers often exploit coverage gaps and advanced tactics, such as bouncing calls across multiple towers, to evade detection. “They were not using the normal towers; they bounce calls off multiple towers. That’s why they prefer living in unconnected areas,” he explained.
To counter these vulnerabilities, the minister said the government is implementing a multi-layered strategy that includes upgrading communications satellites, expanding fibre-optic networks, and deploying 4,000 new telecom towers in underserved rural communities. The tower project, approved by the Federal Executive Council last week, will be executed in partnership with Chinese tech company Huawei.
Tijani noted that Nigeria is currently the only West African country operating its own communications satellites, which are also being upgraded to complement terrestrial networks. “This is why we are upgrading our two satellites, so that if our towers are not working, our satellites will work,” he said.
The initiative is expected to reduce network blackspots, improve rural commerce, and enhance security monitoring in regions currently exploited by criminals. While fibre-optic expansion and tower deployment are already underway, satellite upgrades are expected to take longer to complete, according to the minister.
