Assessment of Telecommunications Access Inequality Between Urban and Rural Communities in Taraba State

Telecommunications access inequality between urban and rural populations perpetuates socioeconomic disparities by limiting rural communities' participation in the digital economy, e-government services, and remote educational opportunities. This study assesses the extent and nature of telecommunications access inequality between urban and rural communities in Taraba State, North East Nigeria. A comparative cross-sectional design was employed, with structured household surveys administered to 180 urban households in Jalingo and 220 rural households distributed across Donga, Karim-Lamido, and Zing local government areas. The survey captured data on mobile phone ownership, network operator accessibility, mobile internet usage, quality of signal, and monthly telecommunications expenditure. Secondary data from NCC and the National Bureau of Statistics supplemented primary findings. Results indicate a significant urban-rural gap across all measured dimensions. Mobile phone ownership was 91% in urban areas compared to 64% in rural areas. Mobile internet access was reported by 78% of urban respondents versus 23% of rural respondents. Only 1 of the 3 rural LGAs surveyed had any 4G coverage, compared to full 4G coverage in urban Jalingo. Rural communities spent a disproportionately higher share of household income on telecommunications services. The study recommends targeted Universal Service Provision Fund intervention in Taraba's rural LGAs, differential spectrum fee structures to incentivize rural deployment, and community phone sharing program pilots. Keywords: access inequality, urban-rural digital divide, Taraba State, rural connectivity, mobile internet.