Examination of the Incorporation of Universal Access and Service Provision in the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003

The constant advancement in information and communication technology has redefined the way people interact with one another. The power of information in the contemporary world cannot be overemphasised. This relates to the level of information people exchange on daily basis. The concepts of ‘universal access’ and ‘universal service’ are fundamental to determining the extent to which people have information and ICT services within their reach, especially in Nigeria. This article examines the incorporation of universal access and service provision in the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), 2003. The study is motivated by the reality that there are lots of communities and villages in Nigeria which ICT and network services have not reached, up till date. The study adopts doctrinal research methodology, by which primary and secondary sources are explored to find that there is inadequate implementation of universal access and service provision in the NCA, 2003. This is as a result of unexpanded provisions of the Universal Access and Universal Service Regulations, 2007 made for its implementation pursuant to the Act and insufficiency of funding, among others. The study recommends urgent amendment of the Universal Access and Universal Service Regulations, 2007, as well as increase of the budgetary allocation made annually by the Federal Government for the communications sector, among others, to solve inadequate implementation of the universal access and service provision (UASP) in the NCA, 2003. The study concludes that with the application of the recommendations put forward, UASP implementation and digital inclusion will be optimally achieved.