Nigeria’s Senate has sanctioned the allocation of N17 billion for the 2024 budget of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), an agency under the Nigeria Communications Commission.
The USPF’s mandate centers on promoting extensive access to network services and fostering digital inclusion across Nigeria’s remote, rural, and underserved communities, as well as marginalized groups.
The fiscal endorsement arrived today, Thursday, after a report presentation by the Chairman of the Committee on Communications, Senator Aliyu Ikra Bilbis of Zamfara Central.
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This budgetary approval was buttressed by legislators such as Senator Adeola Olamilekan, who advocated for an increase in funding for the USPF.
The recommendation was supported by statistics indicating that Nigeria’s internet penetration stood at 55.4 percent at the onset of 2023, underscoring the necessity for enhanced connectivity initiatives.