By Progress Godfrey
Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has clarified remarks he made in a Channels Television interview after the comments sparked widespread public discussion.
In the original interview on Politics Today, the minister discussed how gaps in digital infrastructure and poor network connectivity create vulnerabilities that can be exploited in parts of the country.
In the interview, reported by Vanguard, the minister mentioned that criminal groups use sophisticated methods to route calls across multiple telecom towers to make tracking difficult in poorly connected areas, which contributes to coordination challenges for security agencies. “They were not using the normal towers; they bounce calls off multiple towers. That’s why they enjoy living in areas that are unconnected.”
However, in a statement on Sunday, Tijani said the full interview was primarily about the progress and impact of the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme and related digital infrastructure efforts by the Federal Government.
“My objective was to explain that gaps in digital infrastructure and connectivity in some parts of the country represent a development and security vulnerability,” he said in the clarification.
According to him, this is precisely why the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is making historic investments in digital infrastructure to ensure no part of Nigeria is left behind.
“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,” he highlighted.
He said these investments would deepen connectivity, strengthen the digital economy and ensure that infrastructure contributes meaningfully to economic prosperity, inclusion and national development.
The minister reiterated that his comments were made in context and were not intended to single out any group or community.
He urged Nigerians to consider the full interview and the government’s broader plans to expand digital access and close infrastructure gaps.
The post My Channels interview focused on 3MTT, connectivity gaps — Minister clarifies appeared first on Vanguard News.
