Nigeria proposes solar CCTV, AI command centers

President Bola Tinubu’s April 2 pledge to install more than 5,000 AI-enabled cameras in Plateau State fits into a broader Nigerian push toward tech-led security systems that combine surveillance feeds, command centers and off-grid power. The immediate trigger was a visit to Jos after deadly March 29 attacks, where Tinubu said the federal government would expand camera coverage and use digital tools to support law enforcement. Separate reporting in April also showed the Defence Ministry signing a $190 million agreement with MARSS Group for an AI-powered command, control, communications, computers and intelligence network. The social-media claim that Nigeria is proposing “solar-powered CCTV” and “AI command centers” reflects pieces of that wider buildout, but the public record is split across several projects rather than one single newly announced national blueprint. Lagos police said in January that a CCTV surveillance centre had already been activated on Lagos Island, while federal and private-sector reporting points to solar-powered camera deployments elsewhere in the country. (statehouse.gov.ng) ### Where did the camera plan actually come from? April 2 is the clearest official marker for the camera proposal tied to policing. In a State House statement, Tinubu said the federal government would deploy an “artificial intelligence-enabled network of over 5,000 digital cameras” in Plateau State after attacks in Jos North Local Government Area. He said Communications and Digital Economy Minister Bosun Tijani would oversee the installation in coordination with the Plateau State government and security agencies. (premiumtimesng.com) Jos was named as the starting point. The presidency said the installation would “start in Jos and expand across Plateau State,” and added that the plan would build on systems “already successfully deployed in Lagos and Enugu states.” ### What is the command-center piece? (statehouse.gov.ng) March 19 is the key date for the command-and-control side. Military Africa reported that Nigeria’s Ministry of Defence signed a $190 million memorandum of understanding with UK-based MARSS Group in London to establish what it described as a national AI-powered security network. The report said the program would deploy a C4I framework, a national command centre and several regional centres linked to live sensor data. (statehouse.gov.ng) The same report said the platform would integrate inputs from radar, thermal cameras and other sensors into a single operating picture. That account was not published by the Nigerian government itself, but it aligns with the broader official emphasis on intelligence-led and technology-driven security operations. (military.africa) ### How do Lagos and Abuja fit into this? Lagos has an operating example already. Premium Times reported on January 19 that the Lagos State Police Command said a CCTV Surveillance Centre, also known as Control Room 5, had been activated on January 14 to monitor the Third Mainland Bridge, adjoining waterways and other critical infrastructure on Lagos Island. Police said the facility runs 24 hours a day and supports early detection, incident coordination and emergency response. (military.africa) Abuja has a longer and more troubled history with camera infrastructure. Premium Times reported in October 2025 that lawmakers opened a probe into a $460 million CCTV project in Abuja funded by a Chinese loan after concerns the system remained non-functional. That history matters because it shows Nigeria’s current surveillance push is unfolding against earlier questions about execution and maintenance. (premiumtimesng.com) ### Where does the “solar CCTV” claim come from? January and April reporting show solar-powered surveillance is already part of Nigeria’s security vocabulary. Nigeria Info reported that the federal government commissioned a solar-powered CCTV monitoring centre for the Second Niger Bridge corridor, while Sungreat Energy said it had completed a project deploying 500 integrated solar-powered CCTV units across Nigeria. (premiumtimesng.com) Those reports do not by themselves prove a single nationwide solar-CCTV master plan covering every major city. They do show that solar-powered camera systems are being deployed in Nigeria alongside the government’s wider shift toward AI-assisted monitoring and command-center infrastructure. (nigeriainfo.fm) ### What happens next? Jos is the next named location to watch. The State House said Plateau’s installation will begin there under Bosun Tijani’s oversight, while Lagos remains the clearest live example of a city surveillance control room already in operation. Any fuller national rollout would likely surface through future State House, Defence Ministry or state police announcements naming procurement terms, timelines and participating states. (nigeriainfo.fm) (statehouse.gov.ng)