The Federal Government has announced October 1, 2026, as the commencement date for free access to approved educational websites and digital learning platforms for Nigerian students.
The initiative, launched by the Federal Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), will provide eligible students with 100MB of free data daily to access approved educational content.
Speaking at the launch of the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria in Abuja, Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said the programme would initially target students in senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions before being expanded to other learners.
Under the programme, participating mobile network operators will zero-rate approved educational platforms, allowing students to access them without paying for the data used within the daily allowance.
The NCC said the platforms eligible for inclusion will cover learning management systems, digital libraries, educational repositories, teacher development platforms, and technical and vocational training platforms.
The Federal Ministry of Education and NCC will jointly approve and whitelist the platforms participating in the initiative.
According to the government, the programme is designed to address the cost of internet data, which remains a major barrier to digital learning, particularly for students from low-income households.
Alausa also disclosed plans to introduce measures to regulate internet access for children below 16 years.
The minister said the proposed regulation would ensure that online content accessible to children is appropriate, credible, safe and aligned with educational objectives and the national curriculum.
However, he did not disclose details on how the proposed regulation would work, saying further information would be announced by the relevant security authorities in the coming days.
The initiative involves the NCC, Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, participating mobile network operators and other stakeholders.
The NCC said participating operators under the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) had committed to providing the free daily data allowance.
The framework also includes provisions covering cybersecurity, consumer protection, child protection, data protection, fair competition and net neutrality.
The initiative is expected to make digital education more accessible to students, while also expanding opportunities for businesses and organisations providing educational technology, digital learning, technical and vocational training services.
