Nigerian learners will have access to free daily mobile data on approved educational platforms and content from October 1, 2026.
The development comes after the NCC and ALTON rolled out the Zero-Rated Data Access Initiative.
According to the NCC, the initiative’s operator-sponsored model, eligible users will receive up to 100MB of free daily data allowance to access designated educational platforms.
“This means a learner receiving the full 100MB allowance would have access to about 700MB of educational data each week, roughly 3GB every month, and up to 36.5GB annually,” the regulator said.
The commission said the initiative is designed to reduce the cost of data for digital learning, enabling eligible learners to use approved platforms for studying, research, online courses and other academic activities.
NCC executive vice chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida said the initiative formed part of broader government efforts to equip Nigerians with digital skills and knowledge and to advance human capital development.
He added that the significance of the initiative should be viewed beyond the daily 100MB allocation.
“One hundred megabytes of data might sound a little, but when you look at it over a month and over a year, and cumulatively over the millions of learners and students that are going to access it, it’s really a significant investment by the industry towards the future of this country,” Maida explained, adding that increased connectivity would help bridge disparities.
Maida believes that increased connectivity would help bridge disparities in access to educational resources across different parts of the country by connecting students to teachers, learning materials and knowledge resources irrespective of location.
Describing the programme as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future and the telecom sector, Maida said the initiative would help build a more productive workforce capable of driving innovation, economic growth and national development.
Through the initiative, learners will receive 100MB allowance and have access to 700MB of educational data each week, roughly 3GB every month, and up to 36.5GB annually.
“If the economy becomes more productive through these people who access these educational platforms, they are the future innovators in Nigeria, they are the ones who are going to come up with ideas and become leaders of tomorrow.
“So, making them more productive is going to create more opportunities for the sector to grow. It’s not about short-term thinking. It’s about securing the future of Nigerians,” Maida said.
Speaking on the programme, ALTON chairman, Gbenga Adebayo said the telecommunications and wider technology industry had demonstrated significant commitment to the zero-rated access initiative through financial and in-kind contributions amounting to almost 200 billion Naira (US$150.5 million) for the initial pilot involving 5,000 learners.
According to Adebayo, the significance of the commitment should not be measured merely by the amount of data being provided, but also by its potential to enable Nigerian learners to access knowledge, prepare for examinations, conduct research, acquire digital skills and participate in the emerging digital economy.
He added that the industry is not merely asking the federal government to create policies or programs but is also putting substantial resources behind the national objective.
“This is a partnership in the truest sense: Government provides the policy and educational framework; the regulator provides coordination and oversight; telecommunications operators provide connectivity and network resources; while original equipment manufacturer (OEMs), TowerCos and other technology partners contribute devices, terminals and other critical resources,” Adebayo explained.
He said the initiative aims to eliminate barriers to learning and urged other stakeholders to support the national effort.
The ALTON chairman emphasised that the success of digital education depends not only on connectivity but also on access to devices, relevant content, reliable infrastructure, digital literacy and sustained investment.
He said ALTON and its members remain committed to working with fovernment, the NCC, the Federal Ministry of Education and all other stakeholders to ensure that the investment produces measurable and lasting educational outcomes.
Nigeria is not the only country that is offering free data to students, in September 2024, Mauritius launched a program providing free mobile Internet to 18 to 25-year-olds to prepare the country’s youth for a digital future.
The Nigerian initiative also follows the regulator in January 2025 approving its first tariff hike in over a decade after receiving requests from telecommunications operators facing rising costs in Africa’s most populous nation.
