FG appoints Idris Olorunnimbe as NCC chairman, constitutes USPF board

The federal government has appointed Idris Olorunnimbe as Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The appointment, confirmed by President Bola Tinubu, comes amid the constitution of the communications regulator and the Universal Service Provision Fund’s (USPF) board.

A presidential statement on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed Idris Olorunnimbe as the Chairman, with Aminu Waida remaining as the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer.

Waida had been appointed to the position since October 2023, with the Senate confirming the appointment in November of that year.

Olorunnimbe, founder of The Temple Management Company, was previously appointed as chairman of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in March. However, his appointment was withdrawn in July, and Tanko Umaru Al-Makura, a former governor of Nasarawa, replaced him. 

According to the statement, Olorunnimbe previously served on the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) Board, where he chaired the Stakeholder and Governance Committee. During the period, he made impactful youth employment and entrepreneurship programmes.

Aside from the Chairman and Vice Chairman, other confirmations in the new NCC board include Abraham Oshidami, executive commissioner, technical services; Rimini Makama, executive commissioner, stakeholder management; Maryam Bayi, former director, human capital & administration; and Cornel Abdulwahab Lawal (Rtd).

It also included Lekan Mustafa, Chris Okorie and Princess Oforitsenere Emiko and the secretary of the NCC Board.

Also Read: NCC bans former officials from joining telcos for 5 years.

The presidency also set up the USPF board, where Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, was appointed as Chairman and Idris Olorunimbe as Vice Chairman.

USPF, a parastatal under the FMCIDE, was established by the federal government to facilitate the achievement of national policy goals for universal access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) in rural and underserved areas in Nigeria. The Fund is being managed to facilitate the widest possible access to affordable telecom services for greater social equity and inclusion nationwide.

Other members of the board are Abraham Oshidami, Rimini Makama, Aliyu Edogi Aliyu (Rep of FMCIDE), Joseph Faluyi (Rep. of Federal Ministry of Finance), Auwal Mohammed (Rep. of FMBNP), Uzoma Dozie, Peter Bankole, Abayomi Okanlawon, Gafar Quadri and the USPF secretary. 

2025 fund approval for NCC and USPF

About a month ago, the Nigerian Senate approved N272 billion for the NCC and N15 billion for the USPF as budgets for the 2025 fiscal year.

In reaction to the approval, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Communications, Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis, described the NCC as a pivotal institution in the country’s digital transformation journey. He added that the NCC is the regulatory authority for the telecom industry and that the commission’s budget was crucial to advancing Nigeria’s connectivity and regulatory capabilities.

In approval of N15 billion for the USPF, a fund meant to bridge the digital divide in rural areas, he explained that N10.9 billion is for projects and programmes, N4.04 billion for recurrent expenditure, and N53.96 million for capital expenditure.

The funds are also expected to be deployed into its Impact Alliance project, structured to accelerate digital inclusion in Nigeria. The USPF noted in May that it had invested in digital infrastructure, funding no fewer than 2,500 education projects nationwide since 2007.

It explained that the project will increase the sustainability of the Federal Government’s investment in digital infrastructure and accelerate digital inclusion. The investments are expected to boost connectivity, transform communities, enable computer-based testing in remote areas, and digitally empower teachers, schools and communities.

Also, the Nigerian Senate is 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.

The President Bola Tinubu administration is still making strategic steps to strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy towards placing it in a strong position to attract a series of robust investments.