By Nigerian students will start receiving 100 megabytes of free data every day from October 1, 2026, giving them access to approved educational websites and digital learning platforms, the Federal Government has announced.
Programme Details and Rollout
The initiative is being implemented by the Nigerian Communications Commission, working alongside telecommunications operators and the Federal Ministry of Education. In its initial phase, coverage will extend to learners in public senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa revealed the start date on Thursday at the launch of the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria, held in Abuja.
“Let me let out the secret. This will be made available to Nigerian students from October 1st, 2026,” Alausa said, crediting the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria for its role in shaping the programme.
Under the arrangement, participating mobile network operators will supply a daily zero-rated allowance of 100MB, usable exclusively on approved educational websites and platforms.
Alausa said the rollout would begin with senior secondary and tertiary students before eventually expanding to cover other categories of learners.
“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.
Tackling the Cost Barrier
The minister pointed to the price of internet data as a significant obstacle standing between many students and digital education, particularly children from low-income households.
He argued that removing data charges for educational platforms could effectively turn phones, tablets, and computers into classrooms and libraries for students who would otherwise struggle to access online learning resources.
Alausa also disclosed that the government was developing separate measures to regulate internet access for children under 16, with more details to follow. He stressed that any content made available to children must be “appropriate, credible, safe, and aligned with our educational objectives and our curriculum.”
“It will be regulating internet access to children below 16 years old,” he added, noting that further announcements on the plan were still to come.
Broader Digital Education Push
Beyond the data initiative, Alausa said the government was accelerating digitalisation across the education sector through several parallel efforts, including the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure, the Digital Nigeria Education Management Information System, and the Learner Identification Number.
He revealed that more than 240,000 schools have already been geo-mapped and geolocated nationwide, while the government is simultaneously digitising the Annual School Census to gather data on enrolment, teaching staff, classrooms, laboratories, libraries, connectivity, and school safety.
How the Platforms Will Be Selected
NCC Director of Policy, Competition, and Economic Analysis, Ayuba Shuaibu, explained that the Federal Ministry of Education and the commission would jointly vet and approve which educational platforms get whitelisted under the scheme.
Eligible platforms, he said, would span 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 added that the scheme’s zero-rated access would specifically target public secondary schools and public tertiary institutions, giving their students free access to selected learning resources.
According to Shuaibu, the framework also mandates compliance with existing telecommunications laws covering cybersecurity, consumer protection, child protection and data protection, alongside built in safeguards for net neutrality, fair competition and inclusivity.
Addressing the Affordability Gap
NCC Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, said earlier in the event that millions of students currently cannot access digital learning platforms simply because they cannot afford the cost of data.
She said the initiative was purpose built to ensure no learner misses out on educational content due to where they live or their household’s financial circumstances.
“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 noted that the NCC, mobile network operators under the ALTON umbrella, the Federal Ministries of Communications and Education, along with other partners, conducted extensive research, benchmarking, testing and consultations before finalising the framework.
Government-Wide Support
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, represented at the event by the Director of the National Frequency Management Council Secretariat, Adetunji Adeyemo, called the initiative a meaningful step toward making digital education more affordable and accessible, especially for learners in underserved communities. He committed his ministry’s continued backing for programmes that advance digital inclusion, affordable connectivity and access to knowledge.
Closing out the event, NCC Executive Commissioner for Technical Services, Abraham Oshadami, named MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria and Globacom as the major mobile network operators backing the initiative, thanking them for their commitment to supplying free data allowances that will let learners access approved platforms.
