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

The Federal Government has announced plans to provide millions of Nigerian students with 100 megabytes of zero-rated data every day to access approved educational websites and digital learning platforms from October 1, 2026.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the initiative on Thursday, September 10, during the official launch of the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria in Abuja.

The programme is being implemented by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, telecommunications operators and other stakeholders.

Under the initiative, eligible students will receive a daily 100MB allowance that can be used to access approved educational platforms without incurring data charges.

The initial rollout will cover students in public senior secondary schools and public tertiary institutions, with plans to extend the programme to other categories of learners.

According to reports from the Federal Government and the NCC, about five million students are expected to benefit from the initial phase.

Approved Educational Platforms

The government said the zero-rated access will apply only to educational platforms approved under the programme.

These are expected to include learning management systems, digital libraries, educational repositories, teacher-development platforms, as well as technical and vocational education and training platforms.

Ayuba Shuaibu, Director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis at the NCC, said the commission and the Ministry of Education would jointly determine which platforms qualify for the initiative.

The framework also incorporates requirements relating to cybersecurity, consumer protection, child protection, data privacy, net neutrality, fair competition and inclusivity.

Telecommunications operators participating in the programme include MTN Nigeria, Airtel and Globacom, according to NCC officials.

Government Targets Data Affordability

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 students from low-income households.

The minister said the government wanted to ensure that no Nigerian learner was denied access to quality educational content simply because they could not afford data.

The government estimates that the 100MB daily allocation for five million students represents about 15 billion megabytes of data monthly and an estimated annual data value of ₦180 billion.

NCC officials said the programme was developed after consultations and collaboration involving telecommunications operators, government agencies and other stakeholders.

Government Plans Internet Regulation for Under-16s

Alausa also disclosed that the Federal Government is preparing measures to regulate internet access for children below the age of 16.

However, the government has not yet released the specific rules or explained exactly how the proposed restrictions will work.

The minister said further announcements would be made by the relevant security authorities in the coming days or weeks.

He explained that the proposed measures are intended to protect children from cyberattacks, harmful digital exposure and inappropriate online content.

Alausa stressed that as Nigeria expands digital education, the government must also ensure that children can access online content that is safe, credible, appropriate and consistent with the country's educational objectives.

Push for Greater Digital Inclusion

NCC Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, said affordability remains one of the major reasons many learners cannot take advantage of digital educational resources.

She said the zero-rated access initiative was designed to ensure that a learner's location or family income does not determine whether they can access educational content online.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, represented at the event by Adetunji Adeyemo, Director of the National Frequency Management Council Secretariat, described the programme as an important step towards improving digital inclusion.

The Federal Government says the initiative will initially focus on public senior secondary and tertiary students before being expanded to other categories of learners.

If successfully implemented, the programme could significantly reduce the cost barrier to digital learning while expanding access to online educational resources for millions of Nigerian students.