1 REFORMS IN THE NIGERIA TELECOMMUNICATIONS SECTOR: LOCATING THE ROLE OF THE UNIVERSAL SERVICE PROVISION FUND Peter Chukwuma Obutte 1 & Joy Chineye Mgbeokwere 2 ABSTRACT Globally, countries and governments are increasingly embracing electronic – government strategies in governance. Propelled by Information and Communications Technology, it creates a resource platform where all citizens are integrated and have access to relevant information that enable them participate fully in governance. The challenge of the 21st century is to ensure that the information gap and access gap between the rural and the urban dwellers are eliminated. The Nigerian government has deployed different strategies to eliminate the information/access gap between the rural and the urban dwellers. One of such means is the Universal Service Provision Fund, enshrined in the Nigerian Communications Act 2003. This paper seeks to evaluate the role of the Universal Service Provision Fund in bridging the information gap, across the identified geographical entities in the country. 1.0 INTRODUCTION The communications sector all over the world has experienced significant reforms over the years in line with the policy of deregulation and liberalization of the World Trade Organization (WTO) 1 LL. B (Ib), B.L, LL. M (Ife), Cert. Anti – Trust (Fordham), Sp. LL. M, LL. D (Oslo). Dr. Obutte teaches Jurisprudence and Legal Theory, Public International Law at the undergraduate level; and, International Economic Law; Environment & Development Law at the post – graduate level of the Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. Correspondence: Department of Public & International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Email: pcobutte@gmail.com, pc.obutte@ui.edu.ng 2 LL. B, LL. M (Ib), B.L. J. C. Mgbeokwere is a doctoral research candidate at the Faculty of Law, University of Abuja, Nigeria. Email: c.j.mgbeokwere@gmail.com