Nigeria’s 4,000 new telecoms towers will boost security surveillance, rural connectivity and commerce –Minister

*Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, in a recent interview, restates the new telecoms towers project will improve rural connectivity, stimulate commerce, and enhance security surveillance in areas currently lacking network coverage

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Honourable Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), has restated the deployment of 4,000 new telecoms towers across underserved rural communities will reduce address some identified vulnerabilities in the telecoms ecosystem in Nigeria.

The Minister, who noted this while featuring in a recent interview aired on Channels TV, and monitored in Lagos, said the telecoms infrastructure project would address the coverage blackspots being exploited by bandits, kidnappers, and illegal Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) operators.

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Tijani also disclosed the Federal Government would execute the 4,000 new telecoms towers project in collaboration with Huawei Technologies.

In regard to the immediate benefits to consumers at the grassroots, he stressed that the project would improve rural connectivity, stimulate commerce, and enhance security surveillance in areas currently lacking network coverage.

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Tijani also explained: “It is why we are investing in fibre; it is why next year this project will start.

“We are doing it with Huawei, 4,000 towers in rural areas.”

ConsumerConnect reports the Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently approved the collaborative effort.

The Minister said the 4,000 additional telecoms towers are expected “to significantly improve rural connectivity, stimulate commerce and enhance security surveillance in areas currently lacking network coverage.”

It is recalled the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), at the height of insecurity of lives and property, September 2021, directed Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to shut down services in Zamfara State, North-West region.

The NCC at the time explained that the action became necessary due to the lingering insecurity in the state.

Ibrahim Dosara, Honourable Commissioner for Information at the time reportedly said the Nigerian Military’s onslaught against the bandits, gunmen and kidnappers was yielding tremendous success, especially since the shutdown of telecoms services in the state.

Dosara at a media briefing, in Gusau, had stated: “Zamfara State Government, in efforts to ensure the crushing of the bandits, has requested the closing down of all networks in the state, and this has been effective.

“The security officials are finding it very easy to deal with the bandits in their enclaves in the forests.”

However, the state, in October 2021, directed the restoration of telecommunications services only around the Gusau metropolis, the state capital.

The Zamfara State Government also explained that the restoration of the mobile networks in the state capital was imperative, given the success recorded in the fight against banditry.

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