Terror Groups Now Using Satellite Communication, NASRDA Warns

The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has raised a fresh alarm over Nigeria’s deepening security concerns, revealing that armed groups across the country have abandoned traditional mobile networks and now operate using satellite-based communication systems.

NASRDA’s Director General, Dr. Matthew Adepoju, made the disclosure on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme.

Adepoju explained that security tactics such as shutting down mobile networks during military operations have become ineffective because criminal groups no longer rely on terrestrial phone signals. “It is painful to see states shutting down GSM networks, because these terrorists are no longer using mobile communication. They have moved to satellite platforms,” he said.

The NASRDA boss also addressed misconceptions surrounding Nigeria’s satellite capabilities. He noted that the country’s existing satellites are primarily designed for imaging, not live video feeds, and therefore cannot provide continuous surveillance.

According to him, the current satellites—NigeriaSat-1, NigeriaSat-X and NigeriaSat-2—orbit the Earth and can only revisit the same location after an average of three days, limiting their usefulness for tackling fast-evolving threats.

Adepoju revealed that a new satellite constellation recently approved by President Bola Tinubu will significantly improve response times, reducing revisit intervals to between four and six hours, depending on their orbital configuration.

He said the agency intends to further expand the constellation with an additional four or five satellites to achieve near real-time coverage. “To monitor the entire globe effectively, you need many satellites. As one moves away, another must be in position. That is the logic behind the four-satellite constellation approved for us,” he added.

The NASRDA DG also announced that the agency has secured a partnership with a U.S. technology company that operates nearly 300 satellites capable of delivering advanced signal intelligence.

However, the platform has not yet been activated because the required funding has not been released. Adepoju stressed that for Nigeria to overcome its surveillance limitations, the country must commit substantial resources to modern security technology, research, and satellite development.