The Federal Government will begin providing eligible Nigerian students with 100 megabytes of free data every day from October 1, 2026, under a new programme aimed at reducing the cost of accessing digital educational resources.
The scheme will initially cover students in public senior secondary schools and public tertiary institutions, allowing beneficiaries to use the daily allocation on approved educational websites and digital learning platforms without paying data charges.
The initiative is being implemented by the Nigerian Communications Commission in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education and participating mobile network operators, Brandspur News Desk reports.
Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa announced the October 1 commencement date at the launch of the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria in Abuja. The government plans to extend the programme to other categories of learners after the initial rollout.
Under the framework, participating telecommunications companies will provide each eligible learner with a daily zero-rated allowance of 100MB. The data will be restricted to educational platforms approved by the Federal Ministry of Education and the Nigerian Communications Commission rather than being available for general internet browsing.
Approved services are expected to include learning management systems, digital libraries, educational repositories, teacher-development resources and technical and vocational training platforms.
The programme targets one of the practical barriers facing students who increasingly depend on smartphones, tablets and computers for learning but may struggle with the recurring cost of internet access. By removing data charges from selected educational platforms, the government hopes to make online learning resources more accessible, particularly to students from lower-income households and underserved communities.
The Nigerian Communications Commission said the framework was developed with telecommunications operators and other stakeholders after research, testing, benchmarking and consultations.
MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria and Globacom were identified among the major mobile network operators supporting implementation of the initiative.
Beyond affordability, the framework contains requirements covering cybersecurity, consumer and child protection, data protection, fair competition, inclusivity and net neutrality.
The Federal Government is also considering measures to regulate internet access for children below 16, although details of the proposed arrangement have yet to be announced. Authorities said educational material made available to younger users should be safe, credible and consistent with Nigeria’s curriculum and educational objectives.
The free-data initiative forms part of a wider push to digitise Nigeria’s education system. Other projects include the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure, the Digital Nigeria Education Management Information System and the Learner Identification Number.
More than 240,000 schools have already been geo-mapped and geolocated nationwide, according to the education ministry. The government is also digitising the Annual School Census to improve information on enrolment, teachers, classrooms, laboratories, libraries, connectivity and school safety.
For students covered by the first phase, the October rollout could make routine access to digital libraries, learning portals and other approved academic materials less dependent on their ability to purchase mobile data.
