The Federal Government will begin providing daily free educational data to five million Nigerian students from October 1, 2026.
The initiative, unveiled in Abuja on Thursday, is designed to remove the cost of internet access from students seeking digital learning materials and educational platforms.
Under the programme, eligible senior secondary and tertiary students will receive access equivalent to 100MB of data daily to use on approved educational platforms and digital content.
The initiative, known as the Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content programme, is being implemented through collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Education, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and telecommunications operators.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the October 1 commencement date at the launch of the programme.
He said the scheme would initially cover about five million students, with plans to extend the programme to other categories of learners.
The free access will not amount to unrestricted internet browsing, as the data is intended for approved educational platforms and content that meet government requirements.
Alausa said the platforms must provide credible and safe educational materials aligned with the national curriculum.
The minister explained that the daily allocation for five million students would translate to about 15 billion megabytes of data monthly, with an estimated annual value of ₦180 billion.
NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Dr Aminu Maida, said telecommunications operators were also supporting the programme through network expansion.
According to him, operators had committed to upgrading about 12,000 sites in 2026, with roughly 70 per cent of the work already completed.
The Federal Government said the programme is aimed at improving students’ access to digital education while reducing the financial barrier created by the cost of mobile data.