Group disputes SERAP’s claim of a N26.9 bn shortfall in USPF

The Northern Coalition for Accountability and Public Trust (NCAPT) criticized the Socio‑Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) for urging President Bola Tinubu to investigate the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) over a claimed loss of N26.9 billion.

According to SERAP, the allegation and call for a probe were based on a 2025 Auditor‑General report that highlighted unaccounted expenditures, unapproved contract awards, and missing or non‑existent project payments.

In a statement, NCAPT’s Executive Director, Ambassador Abubakar Yusuf Yaro, said the narrative being presented to the public is selective, exaggerated, and lacks essential context.

“Public accountability cannot be reduced to headline activism and media sensationalism,” Yaro said.

“First, the records and findings clearly show that the widely circulated N26.9 billion claim is completely misleading.”

NCAPT noted that the average annual allocation to the USPF during the period under review was about N7.5 billion. “Simple arithmetic therefore raises a legitimate question: how can an institution with an average yearly funding of N7.5 billion suddenly ‘lose’ N26.9 billion?” the group added.

It also pointed out that more than N13.8 billion of the referenced amount relates to operating surplus deductions that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) handles directly before funds are transferred to the USPF. According to the records reviewed, the USPF does not receive or retain those funds in the first place.

“As a good governance and accountability advocacy organisation, we noticed the same pattern applies to claims concerning multi‑year projects and budget implementation cycles,” NCAPT explained. “Telecommunications infrastructure projects are not executed within weeks. Rural broadband expansion, base stations, ICT centres and connectivity infrastructure naturally run across several fiscal periods. This is standard public finance practice recognised and approved within government budgeting systems.”

“At this juncture, we want to clarify that the records further indicate that the procurement processes referenced in the allegations passed through established approval channels, including the Bureau of Public Procurement and relevant tenders’ boards. Payments reportedly followed certification procedures supported by documentation, reports and project evidence,” the coalition added.

“Therefore, we must ask SERAP why these explanations were ignored before rushing to the media space,” NCAPT said.

“More concerning is the revelation that previous audit exercises and even reviews conducted by the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee reportedly found no irregularities in the operations of the USPF during the same period under review. This raises serious concerns about the motive behind the latest attempt to create the impression of large‑scale fraud without allowing constitutional oversight institutions to complete their work.”

“SERAP, as an organisation that constantly advocates fairness, transparency and accountability, ought to understand that audit observations are not final proof of corruption. They are queries meant for clarification through established institutional processes,” the statement continued.

“Unfortunately, what Nigerians witnessed in this case appears closer to a public conviction campaign than a genuine search for accountability,” NCAPT added.

“Responsible civic engagement demands balance, verification and fairness. Any organisation genuinely committed to public interest should first seek clarification from all parties before publishing conclusions capable of damaging institutional credibility and misleading citizens,” it said.

“To the best of our knowledge, the USPF remains one of the most strategic intervention platforms for rural connectivity and digital inclusion in Nigeria. Across underserved communities, the Fund has supported ICT access, telecommunications infrastructure and connectivity projects that continue to bridge communication gaps between urban and rural populations.”

“We, therefore, urge the National Assembly and relevant oversight bodies to independently review all documents, invite all concerned parties and allow due process to prevail without external pressure or media theatrics. Nigerians deserve truth, not manufactured alarm.”