The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked President Bola Tinubu to urgently order an investigation into allegations that ₦26.9 billion in public funds are missing or have been diverted from the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF).
SERAP urged the President to direct the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, and the Secretary of the Universal Service Provision Fund, Yomi Arowosafe, to account for the funds and explain their whereabouts.
The organisation also asked Tinubu to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and relevant anti-corruption agencies to promptly investigate the allegations.
Naija News reports that SERAP made the demand via a statement released on Sunday, May 10, 2026, on its official website and social media handles, saying that anyone found to be responsible should be prosecuted where there is sufficient admissible evidence, while any missing or diverted funds should be fully recovered and remitted to the treasury.
The allegations were contained in the latest annual report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, published on September 9, 2025.
SERAP Gives Seven-Day Ultimatum
In a letter dated May 9, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP said the USPF remained vital to expanding telecommunications access in underserved and rural communities across the country.
The organisation said any diversion or mismanagement of the fund would undermine efforts to bridge the digital divide and deny millions of Nigerians access to essential digital infrastructure.
SERAP said, “The USPF is vital to expanding telecommunications access in underserved and rural communities, and any diversion of its funds directly undermines its mandate to bridge the digital divide, support infrastructure development, and promote inclusive connectivity.”
It added that the allegations raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
The letter read in part, “These allegations, which include unaccounted expenditures, failure to remit public funds, irregular contract awards, and payments for services not rendered, point to serious breaches of public trust and raise concerns about systemic failures in financial accountability within the USPF.”
SERAP warned that failure to act within seven days would leave it with no option but to take legal action.
It said, “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government, Nigerian Communications Commission, and the USPF to comply with our request in the public interest.”
According to SERAP, the 2022 audited report by the Auditor-General of the Federation revealed several financial irregularities in the USPF’s operations.
The organisation said the USPF allegedly failed to disclose that it maintained a domiciliary dollar account and failed to give the Auditor-General access to the account books.
It said the fund also failed to remit ₦13.8 billion, representing 25 per cent of the annual operating surplus, over four years, between 2016 and 2019.
SERAP quoted the Auditor-General as saying the money may have been diverted, adding that the USPF had been asked to account for and remit the funds.
The organisation further stated that the USPF claimed to have spent ₦11.7m on international training in October 2020 without supporting documents.
It said there were no letters of invitation, receipts or invoices for registration, or certificates of participation to justify the expenditure.
SERAP said the Auditor-General also queried the payment because the period fell within the COVID-19 lockdown when international travel was heavily restricted.
The organisation said the Auditor-General feared that the money may have been diverted and requested that it be recovered and remitted to the treasury.
SERAP Queries Contract Awards, Payments
SERAP said the Auditor-General also reported that the USPF awarded contracts worth over ₦2.8bn without approval.
It said the agency allegedly failed to provide procurement procedures, contract files and other relevant documents showing how the contracts were awarded.
According to the organisation, the Auditor-General expressed concern that the contracts may have resulted in the loss of public funds and asked the USPF to account for the money and provide approvals for each contract.
SERAP also said the USPF allegedly paid ₦8 million as fees to a non-existent fund manager.
The organisation said records showed that no fund manager had been employed as of December 31, 2020, and that there was no document to justify the payment.
It added that the contract agreement for the fund manager appeared doubtful because it was signed on March 5, 2021, about two weeks before the contract award date of March 19, 2021.
SERAP said the Auditor-General feared the payment may have been made for services not rendered and requested that the money be recovered and remitted to the treasury.
Unbudgeted ₦6.4 Billion Spending Queried
The organisation further alleged that the USPF irregularly paid over ₦6.4bn on connectivity and access projects and programmes not included in the 2020 approved budget.
SERAP said the Auditor-General asked the fund to account for the money and to obtain the National Assembly’s approval for any virement used to finance projects and programmes not budgeted for in 2020.
It also said the USPF spent over ₦2.8bn between January and May 2021 without documents and failed to explain the purpose of the expenditure.
According to SERAP, the Auditor-General feared that the money may have been diverted and asked that it be recovered and remitted to the treasury.
The group also alleged that the USPF failed to collect and remit ₦333.8 million, being one per cent stamp duty from payments made to contractors.
It added that the fund failed to deduct ₦144.5 million withholding tax from payments to consultants for the upgrade and management of aggregated bandwidth for 2022.
SERAP said the Auditor-General was concerned that the payments may have led to the loss of revenue accruable to the government and demanded that the money be recovered.
SERAP also said the USPF allegedly paid over ₦391m to consultants for projects without evidence that the work was completed.
It said there was no evidence that the consultants visited project sites, supplied the quoted items or resolved issues linked to malfunctioning equipment and internet connectivity.
The organisation said the Auditor-General had demanded that the money be recovered and paid into the treasury.
According to SERAP, the alleged diversion or mismanagement of USPF funds has serious consequences for millions of Nigerians, particularly those in underserved and rural communities.
It said, “Any diversion or mismanagement of USPF’s resources directly undermines efforts to improve internet connectivity, digital inclusion, and access to essential services. It also undermines efforts to expand internet connectivity, deepen digital inclusion, and close the persistent digital divide across the country.”
The organisation added that poor access to reliable and affordable internet directly affects Nigerians’ ability to enjoy basic rights, including access to information, education, healthcare information, financial services and participation in public affairs.
SERAP said the Federal Government had a constitutional duty to prevent corruption and ensure that public resources were used for the common good.
It cited Section 15(5) of the 1999 Constitution, which requires the government to abolish corrupt practices and abuse of power.
The organisation also cited Section 16 of the Constitution, saying the government had a responsibility to secure the welfare, freedom and happiness of citizens on the basis of social justice and equality of status and opportunity.
SERAP said Nigeria’s obligations under the United Nations Convention against Corruption and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption required the government to prevent and investigate corruption allegations and hold public officials and non-state actors accountable.
It said transparency in the management of USPF funds was not only a financial accountability issue but also a human rights concern.
SERAP added, “Ensuring transparency and accountability in the management of USPF funds is therefore not only a matter of financial probity but also a critical step toward safeguarding and promoting the human rights and dignity of all Nigerians.”
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