FG to Give Students 100MB Free Data Daily From October 1

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa

FG to Give Students 100MB Free Data Daily From October 1

ABUJA — The Federal Government has announced plans to provide Nigerian students with 100 megabytes of free data every day from October 1, 2026, to enable them access approved educational websites and digital learning platforms without paying data charges.

The initiative, known as the Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria, is being implemented by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education, telecommunications operators and other stakeholders.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the commencement date on Thursday in Abuja at the launch of the initiative.

“Let me let out the secret. This will be made available to Nigerian students from October 1st, 2026,” Alausa said.

The minister said the programme would initially cover learners in public senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions, with plans to extend it to other categories of learners as implementation progresses.

Under the framework, participating mobile network operators (MNOs) will provide a daily 100MB zero-rated data allowance that students can use to access educational websites and digital platforms approved under the programme.

The allocation, however, is not unrestricted free internet data. It will apply to whitelisted educational platforms and websites approved by the relevant authorities.

Alausa said the initiative was designed to address the cost of internet access, which he identified as a major barrier to digital education, particularly for learners 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,” the minister said.

He explained that removing data charges from approved educational resources could enable students to use mobile phones, tablets and computers as virtual classrooms and libraries, particularly where physical educational resources are limited.

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The minister also said the government was working on measures relating to internet access for children below 16 years, with further details expected to be announced.

He stressed that online educational content made available to young people must be “appropriate, credible, safe and aligned with our educational objectives and our curriculum.”

Alausa said the Federal Government was also advancing the digitalisation of Nigeria’s education sector through initiatives including the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure, Digital Nigeria Education Management Information System and the Learner Identification Number (LIN).

He disclosed that more than 240,000 schools had been geo-mapped and geolocated across the country.

The government is also digitising the Annual School Census to provide more accurate information on enrolment, teachers, classrooms, laboratories, libraries, connectivity and school safety.

According to the minister, better education data would help government improve planning, monitor developments and target interventions more effectively.

The NCC Director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, Ayuba Shuaibu, said the commission and the Federal Ministry of Education would jointly determine the educational platforms that qualify to be whitelisted under the initiative.

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 initial rollout would provide zero-rated access to students in public secondary schools and public tertiary institutions, allowing them to use selected educational resources without incurring data charges.

The framework also contains requirements covering cybersecurity, consumer protection, child protection and data protection, while providing safeguards relating to net neutrality, fair competition and inclusivity.

NCC Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, said millions of learners were unable to take advantage of digital learning platforms because of the cost of internet data.

She said the initiative was intended to ensure that a learner’s location or household income did not determine whether they could access educational content online.

“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 (ALTON), the Federal Ministries of Communications and Education and other stakeholders had undertaken research, benchmarking, testing and consultations before developing the framework.

Representing the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, at the event, Director of the National Frequency Management Council Secretariat, Adetunji Adeyemo, described the initiative as an important step towards making digital education more affordable and accessible.

He pledged the ministry’s continued support for programmes aimed at promoting digital inclusion, affordable connectivity and access to knowledge, particularly for learners in underserved communities.

NCC Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Aminu Maida, said the initiative was about more than simply providing internet connectivity.

“It is not about providing connectivity; it is about giving people connectivity to gain knowledge,” Maida said.

He noted that the telecommunications industry was continuing to invest in network infrastructure and disclosed that operators had committed to upgrading about 12,000 network sites in 2026, with about 70 per cent already completed.

According to Maida, improving connectivity in unserved and underserved communities would be essential to ensuring that digital education initiatives reach learners outside major urban centres.

In his closing remarks, 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 data allowances required for learners to access approved educational platforms.

The initiative follows earlier consultations by the NCC with telecommunications operators, education authorities, digital learning providers and other stakeholders on ways to reduce the cost of accessing educational content online.

The commission had previously said that the high cost of data remained one of the challenges limiting digital learning and educational technology adoption in Nigeria.

With the October 1 rollout, the government hopes to remove at least part of that financial barrier for students in public senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions.

However, students will only be able to use the 100MB daily allowance on educational websites and platforms approved under the scheme. The initiative does not amount to 100MB of unrestricted free internet that can be used for social media, streaming, messaging or other general online activities.

The government and the NCC are expected to monitor the rollout, usage and impact of the programme as they work towards expanding digital inclusion and access to quality educational content across Nigeria.