Senator Ned Nwoko is putting fiscal accountability front and center as the National Assembly scrutinizes the Nigerian Communications Commission’s 2026 budget. Leading a joint committee session with Senators and House members, Nwoko pressed for transparency and careful financial management, emphasizing that every naira allocated must deliver tangible benefits for citizens and drive Nigeria’s digital economy forward.
The National Assembly has reaffirmed its commitment to fiscal accountability following a budget defence session between the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Communications and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
This was disclosed in a statement issued by Ned Munir Nwoko, who participated in the session alongside other lawmakers.
According to Senator Nwoko, the budget defence formed a critical part of the legislature’s constitutional oversight function, providing an opportunity to examine the Commission’s financial proposals, seek clarifications where necessary, and ensure accountability in the use of public funds.
“The budget defence sessions remain an important part of the legislature’s oversight responsibility, examining proposals, seeking clarity where necessary, and ensuring that public institutions remain accountable in the use of national resources,” he stated.
The Joint Committee reviewed the NCC’s projected expenditures, regulatory priorities, and capital projects, with particular focus on broadband expansion, spectrum management, revenue performance, and alignment with Nigeria’s digital economy agenda.
Senator Nwoko emphasised that the telecommunications sector remains crucial to national development, noting that effective regulation and prudent financial management are essential for sustaining growth, protecting consumers, and expanding infrastructure.
He added that oversight engagements are designed not merely as procedural exercises but as mechanisms to strengthen institutional performance and guarantee that allocations translate into measurable benefits for citizens.
The review process is expected to continue as the National Assembly finalises deliberations on the Commission’s budget proposals ahead of passage in the broader appropriation framework.
