Nigeria’s presidency blames telecom firms for reports about minister’s extremist past

Communications Minister Isa Pantami’s alleged extremist history resurfaced on social media in mid-April, and there have been calls for his resignation or dismissal.

However, the Muhammadu Buhari administration has accused telecom companies of attempting to sponsor a smear campaign against the communications minister.

According to a statement issued on 22 April, Pantami (who is also an Islamic cleric) made enemies because of his policies, and the government will investigate telecom companies for alleged links to the media reports.

Significance – Minister leans on hegemony

Pantami began pursuing a controversial national identification programme in late 2020, saying the programme would help law enforcement to track criminals. He prohibited the sale of new SIM cards and directed telecom operators to disconnect phone lines that are not linked to a National Identification Number (NIN). When the national identity management agency was unable to cope with the volume of new NIN registrations, the deadline was repeatedly shifted backwards but SIM card sales remained suspended. This cost the telecom industry revenue and the programme was unpopular, especially in the south.

The latest scandal is sensitive for two reasons – the delicate relationship between Nigeria’s south and north, and because of the 2023 elections. In 2019, Buhari won 73% of votes in Pantami’s Gombe state. The minister comes from the northeast region whose large Muslim population makes up a crucial electoral base for the president. This base would not support the minister’s removal in this situation. Further, Jama’atu Nasril Islam, a revered institution of northern Muslims, said it believed the recent media reports about the minister’s extremist past were politically motivated.

Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC) controls both the Senate and House of Representatives, but northern politicians of all parties have generally been reluctant to speak about this issue for its sensitivity. This includes Abubakar Atiku of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who was Buhari’s main opponent in 2019. Meanwhile the House of Representatives minority leader, Ndudi Elumelu (southern Delta state, PDP), tried to move a motion on Pantami’s last week. The speaker overruled him for a purported procedural error.

Outlook – Regulatory friction

Pantami will continue in office but with some loss of legitimacy, and so policies for the industry may be formed less assuredly. Application is already porous but may be weakened further. For instance, the communications ministry has eased restrictions on SIM card sales since Pantami’s past reappeared in the media. The government’s perception about the industry’s role in the recent developments may also increase friction between authorities and the industry. Policymaking will be even less collaborative as a result.

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Image Credit: Isa Pantami. Ibnsidi, CC BY-SA 4.0

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