Chapter VII, Part IV (Section 118) of the Communications Act of 2003 established the Universal Service Provision Secretariat (USPS) to administer the Universal Service Provision Fund. The Secretariat is charged with the following functions;

• Receiving applications for loans and grants from eligible persons such as community-based communications operators;
• Reviewing the applications in paragraph (a) of this sub-section and making recommendations to the USP Board as to which applications should be funded;
• Liaising with other departments of the Commission in processing licences for funded applications;
• providing loan recipients and grantees with technical and managerial assistance, such as resolution of equipment vendor issues and setting up of billing systems;
• Evaluation of project performance and effecting such actions as may be necessary to ensure that loan recipients and grantees meet objectives for network expansion and provision of service;
• Enforcing standards for quality of service in rural and underserved areas set by the Universal Service Provision (USP) Board;
• Collecting USP assessments and loan repayments and paying such loan repayments into the USP Fund;
• Evaluating the effectiveness of the USP in meet ing policy goals as set by Government and USP Board;
• Facilitating collaboration between activities that are funded by the USP Fund and other infrastructure and development efforts; and
• Liaising between the USP Board and USP Fund Managers.

The Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF)
Pursuant to Chapter VII, Part IV of the Communications Act of 2003, the Federal Government of Nigeria established a Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) to facilitate the rapid achievement of national policy goals for universal access to telecommunications, information and communication technologies (ICTs).

The Fund will seek to promote the following objectives in rural and underserved areas of Nigeria:

• Contribute to national economic and social development through enhancing the universal accessibility and availability of telecommunications and ICT infrastructures and services.
• Facilitate the provision of access to ICT services within a reasonable distance to all persons in Nigeria.
• Facilitate provision of infrastructural development to rural and underserved areas in a non-discriminatory manner.
• Promote technological innovation in ICT services delivery.
• Promote competition in ICT services delivery.
• Ensure effective utilization of funds to leverage investments in rural communications.
• Support the establishment efficient, self-sustaining, market-oriented businesses, which will continue to expand access to ICTs on their own initiative, requiring the minimum amounts of short- and long-term Fund support possible.
• Use ICT to promote greater social equity and inclusion for all the people of Nigeria.

For further information visit the USPF website at www.uspf.gov.ng.