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 Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at the launch of the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria.
Alausa said the initiative, being implemented by the Nigerian Communications Commission in collaboration with telecommunications operators and the Federal Ministry of Education, would initially cover students in public senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions.
“Let me let out the secret. This will be made available to Nigerian students from October 1st, 2026,” the minister said, acknowledging the contribution of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria to the programme.
Under the framework, participating mobile network operators will provide beneficiaries with a daily zero-rated data allowance of 100MB, which can be used on approved educational websites and platforms.
Alausa said the initiative would later be extended to other categories of learners, adding that the government’s ultimate goal was to ensure that no Nigerian learner was denied access to quality educational content because of the inability to afford internet data.
“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 noted that the cost of internet data had become a major barrier to digital education, particularly for children from low-income households.
He said providing free access to educational platforms could transform mobile phones, tablets and computers into classrooms and libraries for students who might otherwise struggle to access digital learning resources.
The NCC Director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, Ayuba Shuaibu, said the Federal Ministry of Education and the commission would jointly approve the educational platforms to be whitelisted under the initiative.
Shuaibu said the approved platforms would include learning management systems, digital libraries, educational repositories, teacher development platforms, as well as 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,” he said.
He explained that the scheme would give students in public secondary schools and public tertiary institutions access to selected learning resources without data charges.
According to him, the framework also provides for compliance with telecommunications laws and regulations on cybersecurity, consumer protection, child protection and data protection, while incorporating safeguards on 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 affordability challenges.
Makama said the initiative was designed to ensure that learners were not excluded from educational content 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,” she said.
She added that the NCC, participating mobile network operators under ALTON, the Federal Ministries of Communications and Education, and other stakeholders conducted research, benchmarking, testing and consultations before developing the framework.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, represented by the Director, National Frequency Management Council Secretariat, Adetunji Adeyemo, described the initiative as a major step towards making digital education more affordable and accessible, particularly for learners in underserved communities.
He pledged the ministry’s continued support for programmes aimed at 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 implementing the initiative by providing free data allowances for learners to access approved educational platforms.
Alausa also disclosed that the government was working on measures to regulate internet access for children below the age of 16.
He said further details would be announced on the proposed measure, stressing that educational content available to children must be “appropriate, credible, safe and aligned with our educational objectives and our curriculum.”
The minister said the government was also expanding the digitalisation of the education sector through the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure, Digital Nigeria Education Management Information System and the Learner Identification Number.
He disclosed that more than 240,000 schools had been geo-mapped and geolocated across the country, while the government was digitising the Annual School Census to capture data on enrolment, teachers, classrooms, laboratories, libraries, connectivity and school safety.
