The Federal Government has announced plans to provide Nigerian students with 100 megabytes of free internet data every day from October 1, 2026, for access to approved educational websites and digital learning platforms.
The initiative, being coordinated by the Nigerian Communications Commission in collaboration with telecommunications operators and the Federal Ministry of Education, will initially benefit students in public senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during the launch of the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria.
Alausa said the programme was designed to tackle the cost of internet access, which he identified as one of the major obstacles limiting students’ participation in digital learning, particularly those from low-income families.
He said participating mobile network operators would provide the daily 100MB allowance, which would only be usable on educational websites and platforms approved under the programme.
The minister explained that the scheme would later be expanded to cover other categories of learners, stressing that inability to afford data should not prevent Nigerian students from accessing quality educational materials.
Meanwhile, the NCC Director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, Ayuba Shuaibu, said the commission and the Education Ministry would determine the platforms eligible for zero-rating under the initiative.
He listed learning management systems, digital libraries, educational repositories, teacher-development platforms and technical and vocational training resources among the platforms that could be included.
The NCC Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, said the initiative followed research and consultations involving the commission, government ministries and mobile network operators, including members of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria.
She said the programme was intended to reduce the digital divide by ensuring that students were not denied educational opportunities because of their location or inability to pay for internet data.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, represented at the event by Adetunji Adeyemo, expressed the ministry’s support for initiatives aimed at widening affordable digital access.
The NCC Executive Commissioner for Technical Services, Abraham Oshadami, identified MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria and Globacom among the major operators supporting the initiative, saying their participation would be critical to its implementation.
