FG budgets N4.8 billion to monitor WhatsApp satellite phones

The federal government has earmarked N4.8 billion for the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to monitor WhatsApp, an encrypted messaging application, and Thuraya, a satellite telephone. (Read More Here).

The provision seen by TheCable is contained in the supplementary 2021 budget passed by the national assembly.

On Wednesday, the national assembly approved the sum of N982 billion as the supplementary budget for 2021. While N123 billion was approved for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, N895 billion was earmarked for capital expenditure.

The budget is meant to boost military operations and to facilitate the procurement of COVID-19 vaccine.