FG Introduces Daily Free Data for Students, Announces Commencement Date

The Federal Government has announced plans to provide Nigerian students with 100MB of free data every day for access to approved educational websites and digital learning platforms.

The initiative is expected to commence on October 1, 2026, with students in public senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions to be the first beneficiaries.

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

Under the programme, participating telecommunications companies will offer students a daily 100MB data allowance that can be used on government-approved educational platforms without additional data charges.

Alausa explained that the initiative was introduced to address the difficulty many students, particularly those from low-income households, face in accessing online educational resources because of the cost of internet data.

He said the programme would initially target senior secondary and tertiary students before being expanded to other categories of learners.

The minister noted that the government’s objective was to ensure that financial limitations do not prevent students from accessing quality educational content online.

The Nigerian Communications Commission is working with the Federal Ministry of Education and participating telecommunications operators to determine the websites and platforms that will qualify for the zero-rated access.

According to the NCC, approved platforms are expected to include learning management systems, digital libraries, educational repositories, teacher-training platforms and technical and vocational learning resources.

The NCC Director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, Ayuba Shuaibu, said the framework would also ensure compliance with existing regulations covering cybersecurity, consumer protection, child protection and data protection.

Major telecommunications operators supporting the initiative include MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria and Globacom.

Meanwhile, the government disclosed that it is also advancing the digitalisation of the education sector through initiatives including the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure, Digital Nigeria Education Management Information System and the Learner Identification Number.