Senate Okays N22trn For NCC, N15bn For USPF
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that The Senate on Tuesday approved N22.43 trillion for the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and N15 billion for the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) as budgets for the 2025 focal year.
The approval followed the presentation of the reports of the Senate Committee on Communications by its chairman, Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis, during plenary.
Bilbis described the NCC as a pivotal institution in the country’s digital transformation journey.
“The Nigerian Communications Commission is the regulatory authority for the telecommunications industry,” he said, adding that the commission’s budget was crucial to advancing Nigeria’s connectivity and regulatory capabilities.
He urged the lawmakers to support the committee’s recommendations.
In a related development, the Senate also approved N15 billion as budget of the Universal Service Provision Fund, which is managed by the NCC.
The fund is focused on extending telecommunication services to underserved and rural communities across the country.
According to Senator Bilbis, the USPF’s 2025 budget breakdown includes N10.9 billion for projects and programmes, N4.04 billion for recurrent expenditure, and N53.96 million for capital expenditure.
“That the Senate do approve the sum of N15billion only as the Universal Service Provision Fund’s budget for the year 2025,” he said.
The approvals come at a time when the Senate is also considering the National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill, 2025, a legislative proposal designed to strengthen digital service delivery and governance reforms in the public sector.
