Nigeria’s Federal Government is tightening its grip on fraudulent phone calls and criminal communications by reinforcing the country’s digital backbone, combining satellite upgrades, fibre-optic expansion and targeted telecoms surveillance.
Dr ’Bosun Tijani, Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, disclosed this strategy during an interview on Channels Television, amid mounting public concern over the persistent use of mobile networks by kidnappers, bandits and fraud syndicates.
According to the Minister, the challenge of tracking illicit calls is “far more technical” than many Nigerians realise, underscoring why conventional measures alone have struggled to stem the tide of telecoms-enabled crime.
Since 2020, the sector has faced intense scrutiny following the Federal Government’s mandatory National Identification Number-SIM linkage policy, designed to eliminate anonymous communication and clamp down on criminal misuse of phone lines. While the exercise significantly reduced unregistered SIMs, authorities say criminal networks have since adapted.
Tijani acknowledged widespread frustration over reports that ransom negotiations and coordinated attacks continue to occur through active SIM cards, some operating beyond standard network monitoring.
“There was an exercise conducted by the telcos to clean out all SIMs,” he said. “But we realised criminals were using a special type of technology to make calls.”
How criminal networks exploit network gaps
The Minister revealed that security agencies and regulators have uncovered sophisticated methods now employed by criminal groups. Rather than relying on conventional telecom towers, these networks reportedly route calls across multiple towers, masking their origin and frustrating tracking efforts.
“They were not using the normal towers; they bounce calls off multiple towers,” Tijani explained. “That’s why they enjoy living in areas that are unconnected.”
Such techniques are particularly effective in remote or underserved regions, where weak infrastructure creates blind spots in national communications surveillance.
Government’s digital counter-strategy
To close these gaps, the Federal Government is pursuing a layered connectivity strategy built around stronger terrestrial and space-based infrastructure.
Central to the plan is an expansion of fibre-optic networks, alongside upgrades to Nigeria’s communications satellites. Tijani noted that Nigeria remains the only West African country operating its own satellites – a strategic advantage the government now intends to fully leverage.
“This is why we are upgrading our two satellites,” he said. “So that if our towers are not working, our satellites will work.”
He described satellite deployment as the “third leg” of a broader connectivity framework, complementing fibre expansion and improved tower coverage. While satellite upgrades will take longer to complete, Tijani said the other components of the strategy are already well advanced.
Analysts say the approach signals a shift from reactive telecoms regulation to infrastructure-led security, recognising that national safety is increasingly intertwined with digital resilience.
As Nigeria deepens its investment in communications infrastructure, the government is betting that stronger networks – on the ground and in space – will deny criminals the anonymity they currently exploit, and restore public confidence in the country’s telecoms ecosystem.