The Federal Government has announced plans to provide Nigerian students with 100 megabytes of free daily data to access approved educational websites and digital learning platforms from October 1, 2026.
The initiative is being implemented by the Nigerian Communications Commission in partnership with telecommunications operators and the Federal Ministry of Education.
It will initially cover students in public senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions before being extended to other categories of learners.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the commencement date on Thursday at the launch of the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria in Abuja.
“Let me let out the secret. This will be made available to Nigerian students from October 1st, 2026,” Alausa said.
Under the programme, participating mobile network operators will provide beneficiaries with a daily 100MB zero-rated data allowance for use on approved educational websites and platforms.
Alausa said the initiative was aimed at removing the cost of internet data as a barrier to digital education, particularly for students from low-income households.
“Our ambition must be that, ultimately, no Nigerian learner should be denied access to quality educational content simply because he or she cannot afford data,” he said.
The minister said affordable access to educational platforms could enable students to use mobile phones, tablets and computers as learning tools, classrooms and digital libraries.
He also disclosed that the government was working on measures to regulate internet access for children below the age of 16.
Alausa said details of the proposed regulation would be announced later, adding that digital content available to children must be “appropriate, credible, safe and aligned with our educational objectives and our curriculum.”
The government, he added, was expanding the digitalisation of the education sector through initiatives including the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure, Digital Nigeria Education Management Information System and Learner Identification Number.
According to the minister, more than 240,000 schools have been geo-mapped and geolocated across the country, while the government is digitising the Annual School Census to collect data on enrolment, teachers, classrooms, laboratories, libraries, connectivity and school safety.
The NCC Director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, Ayuba Shuaibu, said the commission and the Federal Ministry of Education would jointly approve the educational platforms to be included in the programme.
He said eligible platforms would include learning management systems, digital libraries, educational repositories, teacher development platforms, and technical and vocational training platforms.
“The framework also adopts the operator’s consult model for the initial rollout of the initiative. Under this model, a daily zero-rated data allowance of 100 MB will be provided by the participating MNOs for usage on approved websites and platforms,” Shuaibu said.
He explained that the programme would provide students in public secondary and tertiary institutions with access to selected educational resources without data charges.
Shuaibu added that the initiative would operate within existing telecommunications laws and regulations covering cybersecurity, consumer protection, child protection and data protection, while also providing safeguards for net neutrality, fair competition and inclusivity.
Earlier, the NCC Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, said millions of students were unable to access digital learning platforms because of the cost of internet data.
She said the initiative was designed to ensure that learners were not excluded from digital education because of their location or household income.
“The Zero-Rated Access Initiative exists to erase that line. Its principle is simple: no learner should be shut out of educational content because of where they live or what their family earns,” Makama said.
She said the NCC, mobile network operators under the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, the Federal Ministries of Communications and Education, and other stakeholders conducted research, testing and consultations before developing the framework.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, represented by the Director of the National Frequency Management Council Secretariat, Adetunji Adeyemo, described the programme as an important step towards making digital education more affordable and accessible.
He pledged the ministry’s continued support for initiatives promoting digital inclusion, affordable connectivity and access to knowledge.
In his closing remarks, the NCC Executive Commissioner for Technical Services, Abraham Oshadami, identified MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria and Globacom among the major mobile network operators supporting the programme.
He thanked the operators for their commitment to providing the free data allowance to enable students to access approved educational platforms.
