The Federal Government will from October 1, 2026, commence a programme providing Nigerian students with free access to approved online educational platforms, as part of efforts to reduce the cost barrier to digital learning.
Under the initiative, participating telecommunications operators will offer eligible learners up to 100 megabytes of zero-rated data daily for access to approved educational websites and digital platforms.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the commencement date on Monday at the launch of the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.
“Let me let out the secret. This will be made available to Nigerian students from October 1st, 2026,” Alausa said.
The initiative, which is being implemented in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), mobile network operators and other stakeholders, will initially target learners in senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions.
The government plans to extend the programme to other categories of learners as it expands nationwide.
Alausa said the high cost of internet data remained one of the major obstacles limiting students' access to digital education, particularly those from low-income families.
“A digital platform has little value to a child who cannot afford the data required to access it. An excellent online lesson cannot transform the life of a student who is unable to connect to it,” he said.
The minister said the government's objective was to ensure that financial constraints did not prevent Nigerian learners from accessing quality 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,” he added.
The Director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis at the NCC, Ayuba Shuaibu, said the scheme would provide zero-rated access to learners in public secondary and tertiary institutions through the collaboration of mobile network operators under the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON).
He said the Federal Ministry of Education and the NCC would jointly determine the educational platforms that would be whitelisted for the programme.
Shuaibu listed learning management systems, digital libraries, educational repositories, teacher development platforms, and technical and vocational training platforms among the categories of platforms that could qualify.
He explained that the initial rollout would operate under the cost model adopted by participating network operators, with each eligible learner receiving a daily 100MB zero-rated allowance for approved websites and platforms.
According to him, the framework also incorporates provisions covering telecommunications regulations, cybersecurity, consumer protection, child protection and data protection.
It also contains safeguards intended to promote net neutrality, fair competition and inclusivity, he added.
Meanwhile, Alausa disclosed that the Federal Government was working on a separate policy to regulate internet access for children below the age of 16.
The minister said the planned measure was aimed at ensuring that children were exposed to online content that was appropriate, credible and consistent with the country's educational objectives and curriculum.
“The content made available to our children must be appropriate, credible, safe and aligned with our educational objectives and our curriculum,” he said.
Giving what he described as a “sneak preview” of the forthcoming measure, Alausa said details would be announced by the relevant security authorities in the coming days.
“It will regulate internet access for children below 16 years old,” he said, adding that “there will be regulated access to the internet for every child in Nigeria that’s below the age of 16 years”.
He, however, did not disclose how the proposed regulation would be implemented or the specific restrictions it would impose.
In her welcome address, the NCC Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, said affordability remained a major reason millions of Nigerian students were unable to take advantage of online educational resources.
She noted that online courses, digital libraries and virtual classrooms were becoming increasingly important to modern education, making affordable connectivity an essential component of learning.
“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 programme was developed by the NCC in partnership with participating mobile network operators under ALTON, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the Federal Ministry of Education and other stakeholders.
Representing the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, the Director of the National Frequency Management Council Secretariat, Adetunji Adeyemo, described the initiative as an important step towards making digital education more affordable and inclusive.
He said the ministry would continue to support programmes designed to promote digital inclusion, innovation, affordable connectivity and access to knowledge, particularly among learners in underserved communities.
The NCC Executive Commissioner for Technical Services, Abraham Oshadami, in his closing remarks, commended ALTON and the chief executives of MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria and Globacom for supporting the programme.
He said the participating operators had committed to providing the free daily data allowances that would enable learners to access approved educational platforms under the initiative.
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