Nigerian students to enjoy free data for learning
Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa, has hinted that students are soon to enjoy free educational data access from October 1, as part of an initiative by government to smoothen learning in tertiary institutions. Alausa noted that the programme would run under the Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content initiative. The initiative, organised by the […] The post Nigerian students to…
The Nigerian Education Minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has announced that students will begin receiving free educational data starting October 1, as part of an initiative to streamline learning in tertiary institutions. This program, known as Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content, is organized by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and is a key component of President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda (RHA).
The purpose of the initiative is to ensure learning is accessible to children who cannot afford data required for access, particularly those from low-income households and communities with limited traditional educational infrastructure.
Alausa stated that the program intends to provide about five million eligible students with 100 megabytes of free data daily, which will amount to around 15 billion megabytes of data monthly and be worth approximately N180 billion annually. The minister emphasized that the initiative is a significant step in education, particularly for students in underserved communities who are unable to afford regular internet data.
The Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content initiative is part of the government's commitment to democratize access to educational resources, regardless of a learner’s location or economic situation. The program will initially benefit senior secondary pupils and students in tertiary institutions. The government plans to expand the initiative to other categories of learners in the future.
The initiative follows consultations with telecommunications operators, education stakeholders, and other industry participants to remove data costs from approved educational websites and platforms. The NCC's Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, described the initiative as more than just connectivity, stating that access to knowledge is essential for innovation, productivity, and economic growth.
Maida personally experienced the benefits of online learning and stressed that the initiative's impact would be even more significant for less-privileged Nigerians. He also praised telecommunications operators for their continued investment in network capacity, with about 70% of the 12,000 sites planned for upgrading this year already completed.
The NCC remains committed to prioritizing connectivity in unserved and underserved communities, which will provide more students with opportunities to learn digitally starting October 1, 2026.
Written by urgent.news from Ripples Nigeria's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
