The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, has cleared the air over the insinuations blaming 5G as the cause of the COVID-19 virus.
According to Pantami, there is no link between 5G and COVID-19. He added that many people don’t realise that the radiation of 4G is more harmful than that of 5G.
Pantami opined that there is no relationship between 5G and any disease. However, the Minister said he would have been a victim, if medical and security concerns were linked to 5G.
Meanwhile, the National Security Adviser’s office has expressed concerns over the deployment of 5G technology in Nigeria.
The director of communications in the NSA office, Bala Fakandu, said the concerns are majorly about the deliberate vulnerabilities and backdoors within the 5G network equipment.
Isa Pantami
Fakandu further explained that the 5G network equipment’s vulnerabilities might expose Nigeria to eavesdropping, tracking, cyber-attacks, and other malicious activities by foreign actors.
However, he asked the Ministry of communications and digital economy to carry them along to formulate the policy that would guide 5G in the country.
He noted that the telecommunications industry stakeholders would understand the reason for the concerns expressed about the 5G technology.
In the meantime, Pantami has disclosed plans to present a draft national policy on 5G at the Federal Executive Council for consideration.
According to him, the Ministry would present the draft policy at the end of the research on the 5G network.
Pantami said the Federal Government approved the trial on the impact of 5G in Nigeria in some selected cities like Abuja, Kano, Abeokuta, Lagos, Ibadan and Calabar.
