The Federal Government has announced plans to provide eligible Nigerian students with 100MB of free data every dayto access approved educational websites and digital learning platforms from October 1, 2026.
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 mobile network operators and the Federal Ministry of Education.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the commencement date on Thursday in Abuja during the official 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 target students in public senior secondary schools and public tertiary institutions before being expanded to other categories of learners.
Under the framework, participating mobile network operators will provide a daily 100MB zero-rated data allowancethat can be used to access educational websites and platforms approved under the programme.
The data will not provide unrestricted free internet access. Instead, the zero-rated allowance will apply to websites and digital platforms that have been approved for participation in the initiative.
According to the NCC’s framework, eligible platforms may include learning management systems, digital libraries, educational repositories, teacher-development platforms, and technical and vocational training platforms.
The NCC Director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, Ayuba Shuaibu, said the Federal Ministry of Education and the commission would jointly determine which platforms are approved for the programme.
The initiative is intended to address the cost of internet access, which the government identified as one of the barriers preventing some Nigerian students from taking advantage of digital learning resources.
Alausa said the government’s broader goal was to ensure that financial constraints did not prevent students from accessing educational content.
“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 NCC’s Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, similarly said the initiative was designed to reduce the digital access gap affecting learners, particularly those from low-income households and underserved communities.
The commission said mobile network operators including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria and Globacom are supporting the implementation by providing the data allowance for access to approved platforms.
The initiative follows the NCC’s earlier consultation on a proposed framework for zero-rated access to educational platforms and content, which was published as part of its stakeholder engagement process in July 2026.
The Federal Ministry of Education already operates and promotes several digital learning platforms. Its eLearn portal provides access to curriculum-aligned resources and links to platforms covering areas including senior secondary, tertiary education, skills development and teacher training.
The ministry’s Inspire platform, for example, provides students with access to digital learning materials and describes itself as a free platform powered by the Federal Ministry of Education.
Beyond the free-data initiative, Alausa said the government was continuing to expand the digitalisation of Nigeria’s education system through projects including the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure, Digital Nigeria Education Management Information System and Learner Identification Number.
He also said more than 240,000 schools had been geo-mapped and geolocated across the country, while the government was digitising the Annual School Census to collect information on enrolment, teachers, classrooms, laboratories, libraries, connectivity and school safety.
The minister also disclosed that the government was working on measures concerning internet access for children below 16 years, saying further details would be announced later. He stressed that digital content made available to children should be appropriate, credible, safe and aligned with Nigeria’s educational objectives and curriculum.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, represented at the event by Adetunji Adeyemo, said the initiative would support efforts to make digital education more affordable and accessible, particularly for learners in underserved communities.
The programme is scheduled to begin on October 1, 2026, with public senior secondary and tertiary students as the initial beneficiaries. The government and NCC are expected to determine the final list of approved educational platforms and the operational details of access before the rollout.
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