President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Idris Olorunnimbe as Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in a sweeping shake-up of the nation’s telecom regulatory leadership. The announcement also came with the constitution of new boards for both the NCC and the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), strategic agencies under the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy.
Olorunnimbe, a former board member of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), earned recognition for championing youth employment and SME support. Now tasked with policy oversight in an industry contributing over 13% to Nigeria’s GDP, he is expected to work closely with NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Dr. Aminu Maida, to advance the nation’s ambitious digital transformation agenda.
A New Telecoms Team
The newly inaugurated NCC board features Abraham Oshidami as Executive Commissioner, Technical Services; Rimini Makama as Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management; Hajia Maryam Bayi, former Director of Human Capital & Administration; Col. Abdulwahab Lawal (Rtd); Senator Lekan Mustafa; Chris Okorie; Princess Oforitsenere Emiko; and the board secretary.
Olorunnimbe will also serve as Vice Chairman of the USPF board, chaired by Communications Minister Dr. Bosun Tijani.
Bridging the Digital Divide
Established to ensure universal access to ICT services, the USPF’s mission focuses on rural and underserved communities, aiming to make telecommunications both affordable and reliable while targeting vulnerable groups. The Fund views ICT access as a driver of economic growth and social equity across Nigeria.
With broadband expansion, infrastructure upgrades, and service quality at the forefront of the sector’s challenges, the Tinubu administration’s latest appointments are seen as a decisive move to strengthen oversight and accelerate Nigeria’s digital economy.
