The initiative is being implemented by the Nigerian Communications Commission in collaboration with telecommunications operators and the Federal Ministry of Education.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the commencement date on Thursday in Abuja during the launch of the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria.
Alausa said the programme would initially target students in public senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions before being expanded to cover other categories of learners.
“Let me let out the secret. This will be made available to Nigerian students from October 1st, 2026,” the minister said, while acknowledging the contribution of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria to the initiative.
Under the programme, participating mobile network operators will provide eligible students with a daily 100MB data allowance that can be used to access designated educational websites and platforms without incurring data charges.
Alausa said the policy was designed to address the rising cost of internet access, which he identified as one of the major obstacles limiting students’ participation in digital learning, particularly those from low-income households.
“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 said.
According to the minister, the initiative could enable mobile phones, tablets and computers to serve as virtual classrooms and libraries for learners who may otherwise be unable to afford regular internet access.
He also disclosed that the government was developing measures to regulate internet access for children below the age of 16, with details of the proposed policy expected to be announced later.
Alausa stressed that digital content accessible to children must be appropriate, credible and safe, while remaining consistent with national educational objectives and the approved curriculum.
The minister further disclosed that the government was advancing the digital transformation of the education sector through initiatives including the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure, Digital Nigeria Education Management Information System and the Learner Identification Number.
He said more than 240,000 schools across the country had been geo-mapped and geolocated, while efforts were ongoing to digitise the Annual School Census to provide reliable data on enrolment, teachers, classrooms, laboratories, libraries, internet connectivity and school safety.
The NCC Director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, Ayuba Shuaibu, said the commission and the Federal Ministry of Education would jointly determine the educational platforms to be approved under the zero-rating framework.
He said the platforms would include learning management systems, digital libraries, educational repositories, teacher development portals, and technical and vocational training platforms.
Shuaibu explained that the initial rollout would adopt the operators’ consult model, under which participating mobile network operators would provide the 100MB daily zero-rated allowance for access to approved educational resources.
He added that the scheme would cover students in public secondary schools and public tertiary institutions, enabling them to use selected digital learning resources without paying for the data consumed on those platforms.
According to him, participating operators and platforms would also be required to comply with relevant telecommunications regulations covering cybersecurity, consumer protection, child protection and data protection, as well as safeguards relating to net neutrality, fair competition and inclusivity.
Earlier, the NCC Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, said affordability remained a major reason millions of students could not fully benefit from digital learning platforms.
She said the initiative was aimed at ensuring that students were not excluded from educational resources because of their location or their families’ financial circumstances.
“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 explained that the framework followed research, benchmarking, testing and consultations involving the NCC, participating mobile network operators under ALTON, the Federal Ministries of Communications and Education, and other stakeholders.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, who was represented by the Director of the National Frequency Management Council Secretariat, Adetunji Adeyemo, described the programme as an important step towards expanding affordable digital education, particularly in underserved communities.
He assured that the ministry would continue to support initiatives aimed at improving digital inclusion, affordable connectivity and access to educational resources.
In his closing remarks, the NCC Executive Commissioner for Technical Services, Abraham Oshadami, identified MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria and Globacom among the major mobile network operators supporting the programme.
Oshadami commended the operators for their commitment to the implementation of the initiative through the provision of free data allowances to enable learners access approved educational platforms.
