The Minister for information Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson answered a question about the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) yesterday at the 4th ICT Industry Stakeholders forum yesterday. And according to the Minister, they have been organizing hackathons in different Nigerian states to identify startups and students for the fund.
Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) is managed by #EchoVC lead by @EghosaO. - Dr. O. Johnson #commtechNG
— Techpoint Nigeria (@Techpointdotng) January 29, 2015
I ran into Eghosa yesterday night for a chat on the fund and how it can be accessed by qualified startups and individuals. He said the details on how to access the fund would be available on the EchoVC blog soon. You can check #CommTechNG on Twitter to catch the tweets. And in other news;
Nitel was recently privatalised and #Lagos distribution licence was issued to Mainone. #commtechNG — Techpoint Nigeria (@Techpointdotng) January 29, 2015
About USPF
Pursuant to Chapter VII, Part IV of the Communications Act of 2003, the Federal Government of Nigeria established a Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) to facilitate the rapid achievement of national policy goals for universal access to telecommunications, information and communication technologies (ICTs).
The Fund will seek to promote the following objectives in rural and underserved areas of Nigeria: • Contribute to national economic and social development through enhancing the universal accessibility and availability of telecommunications and ICT infrastructures and services
- Facilitate the provision of access to ICT services within a reasonable distance to all persons in Nigeria
- Facilitate provision of infrastructural development to rural and underserved areas in a non-discriminatory manner
- Promote technological innovation in ICT services delivery
- Promote competition in ICT services delivery
- Ensure effective utilization of funds to leverage investments in rural communications
- Support the establishment efficient, self-sustaining, market-oriented businesses, which will continue to expand access to ICTs on their own initiative, requiring the minimum amounts of short- and long-term Fund support possible.
- Use ICT to promote greater social equity and inclusion for all the people of Nigeria