The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has dismissed claims that kidnappers and other criminals still operate with unregistered or fraudulently registered SIM cards despite the enforcement of Nigeria’s NIN–SIM linkage policy.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Tijani said he was not aware of any credible evidence showing that unregistered SIM cards remain active within the country’s telecom system.
“I don’t know where that information is coming from or who has the evidence that there are people using SIMs that are not registered,” he said, adding that Nigeria’s biometric systems—including BVN and NIN—are designed to support effective tracking when necessary.
Tijani explained that the issue of criminal communication is more complex than often portrayed. He noted that telecom operators had already carried out a nationwide SIM-clean-up exercise to eliminate improperly registered lines.
According to him, security agencies recently discovered that many criminals were using specialised technologies to make calls without relying on conventional telecom towers.
“They were not using normal towers,” he said. “They bounce calls off multiple towers, and once they leave an area, the signal disappears.”
The minister said this discovery prompted President Bola Tinubu to direct increased government investment in telecom infrastructure, especially in underserved and remote regions where criminals tend to operate.
He added that Nigeria is also upgrading its two communication satellites to improve coverage in areas where traditional terrestrial towers are ineffective.
Tijani highlighted that Nigeria is currently the only West African country with communication satellites and is expanding both fibre-optic and satellite infrastructure to bolster national security and enhance digital inclusion.
