Memories can serve some useful lessons but sometimes can also drive one through the path of forlornness. The brighter ones are very redeeming and can shine light into the heart of darkness. Shakespeare viewed memory as a “powerful, double-edged force, capable of both preserving cherished moments and holding onto pain.” Yes, memories can serve up both doses in equal measure and dampen a man’s enthusiasm to aspire to, or achieve greatness.
My friend went through a plateau of memories within the week. As a telecoms engineer, he was mostly concerned about happenings at USF – Universal Service Fund, recognised by the ITU as a well known organ of growth in the telecommunications sector, but which in Nigeria is called the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), which is domiciled at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). My friend observed that by the time the board of USPF is formally constituted, it will be the first time in decades that the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) will not be a member. Reason being that the board announced on August 12,2025, by Bayo Onanuga, Special Advser to the President on Information and Strategy, did not include the current EVC, Dr Aminu Maida; instead, the NCC will be represented on the board by the Chairman, Idris Olorunimbe as Vice Chair, and the two Excutive Commissioners, Abraham Oshadami – Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, and Rimini Makama – Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management.
Others are: Aliyu Edogi Aliyu (Rep.FMCIDE), Joseph B Faluyi (Rep. of Federal Ministry of Finance), Auwal Mohammed (Rep. of FMBNP), Uzoma Dozie, Peter Bankole, Abayomi Anthony Okanlawon, Gafar Oluwasegun Quadri, and the USPF Secretary. This may be a small observation but perhaps that’s the nature of law, to act without sentiments and obliterate fixations where they exist. The Nigerian Communications Act 2003, says, “The President, acting on the recommendations of the Minister, shall ensure that the USPF Board members in subsection (1)(g) of this section are persons of integrity and professional standing who shall be appointed as USPF Board members either on their own self-recognition or as representatives of organisations who, in the President’s jugdemment, are stakeholders in and contribute meaningfully towards the attainment of USPF objectives.” Pending the confirmation of the Senate, the Minster, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has picked his team, and the nation expects him to deliver on his assignment. But the entire workforce of USPF is drawn from the NCC who really is their employer in the first place. They are only on secondment to USPF. And the EVC is the head of the workforce as the chief executive of the Commission. My friend asked me what will be the reporting line of the workers at USPF?
I did not have an answer to the question. He stressed the need for a very harmonious relationship between the Minister on one hand, and the NCC and USPF on the other, as the relationship will affect the deliverables to the ordinary people in far-flung places who really need telecom service intervention. He reminded me that the last time there was a major wrench between NCC and the parent Ministry was during the time of Dr Dora Akunyili as Minister and Engr Ernest Ndukwe as EVC. Development at USPF suffered while the entire NCC was heated up needlessly. That was long ago. However, something else happened recently. Under the previous administration, USPF was nearly deracinated from the NCC by a minister who felt empowered by law to be the alpha and omega of the Ministry and its parastatals. The outcome wasn’t palatable. USPF was pressured into questionable endeavours. My friend is not praying for a replay of such a sorry past.
Globally, USPF is very strategic in telecoms accessibility and inclusive growth. In Nigeria it is even more so. Onanuga in his statement, said: “The Federal Government established the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) to facilitate the achievement of national policy goals for universal access and service to information and communication technologies (ICTs) in rural, unserved and underserved areas in Nigeria.” On its part, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), views USFs as a crucial funding mechanism for achieving universal and affordable access to telecommunications and digital technologies. The efforts are geared towards the expansion of broadband and other advanced ICTs, particularly in rural and underserved areas to help bridge the digital divide and foster inclusion. The USPF objectives are well defined and the mission very clear. The ordinary folks in remote areas, including the hinterlands, especially the areas unreached and unconnected by telecoms, are the targets. My friend clearly aligns with these targets especially the efforts of government in pursuing a pervasive broadband availability for all.
For instance, under this administration, the Minister is pursuing the ambitious targets of the National Broadband Plan ( 2020-2025) which sets a clear target to achieve 70 percent broadband penetration by the end of 2025, and to deploy 90,000 kilometres of fibre optics backbone infrastructure across the country. Although this doesn’t look feasible at the moment, EVC Maida said at a Business Roundtable recently that the NCC was working hard to enable the Minister achieve his target, because “connectivity is the quiet enabler. When it fails opportunities evaporate, productivity stalls – and in critical situations, lives can be put at risk.” The role of USPF and even the regulator is to ensure that connectivity is inclusive, available, accessible and affordable. From the permutation of the Minister, the government does not want to exclude anybody from the three A-s.
This was also the thinking of my friend, that the USPF can be spruced up to fulfill its mandate more robustly and make inclusive connectivity available to everyone. “You cannot even have a 5G experience if base stations are not linked with fibre optic cables,” he said, going on the extreme, arguing that doing otherwise will be counter counter-productive and make the cost of broadband very high. Extreme because the ordinary folks are more concerned with simple broadband connectivity, and not the hyper speed associated with 5G. Universal Access Fund is usually funded by mandatory contributions by industry players, which monies are eventually used to provide subsidies and incentives to the operators to extend their networks to unserved and unreached areas.
In Nigeria, it is one percent of the 21/2 percent of the annual operating levies (AOL) paid by the telecommunications operators. The availability of that money remains shrouded in mystery now since NCC was designated a revenue generating agency under the Muhammadu Buhari administration. It means that receivables will first go to the Federation Account before any sorting will start. And that sorting may come with snail speed!
However, my friend argued that most of the monies for USPF have been used in the area of access, putting computers and internet bandwidth in schools instead of network expansion and connectivity. For him, time has come to refocus the agency to achieve more measurable and less controversial goals. What is more – there is an excitable Minister who is ready to work. There is a board awaiting confirmation by the Senate, although some of the appointments there really exposed the obfuscation of the Act in some respects (will civil servants now head to the Senate for confirmation?). And there is a government that is anxious to deliver on its political promises to the people.
Wait for this. A source at USPF told this writer they are ready to work long hours to enable the Fund fulfill its mandate and deliver on government’s expectations. My friend is of the opinion that relationships and personal egos will have to be properly managed for stakeholders to achieve needed results.
The post A friend’s ruminations on USPF, by Okoh Aihe appeared first on Vanguard News.
