The Federal Government of Nigeria has fixed October 1, 2026, as the commencement date for a programme that will give Nigerian students free access to approved educational websites and digital learning platforms.

The initiative, introduced by the Federal Ministry of Education in partnership with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), will provide eligible students with 100MB of free data each day for accessing approved educational content.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the implementation timeline while speaking in Abuja at the launch of the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria.

Alausa said the programme would initially cover students in senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions, with plans to extend the initiative to other categories of learners.

The arrangement will require participating mobile network operators to zero-rate approved educational platforms. This means students will be able to use the approved platforms without being charged for the data consumed within the allocated daily allowance.

According to the NCC, eligible platforms will include learning management systems, digital libraries, educational repositories, teacher development platforms, as well as technical and vocational training platforms.

The Federal Ministry of Education and the NCC will jointly assess, approve and whitelist the platforms that will participate in the programme.

The government said the initiative is intended to reduce the financial burden associated with internet data, which remains a significant obstacle to digital education, particularly for students from low-income households.

Alausa also announced plans to introduce measures aimed at regulating internet access for children below the age of 16.

According to the minister, the proposed regulation would seek to ensure that online material available to children is appropriate, credible and safe, while also remaining consistent with educational objectives and the national curriculum.

However, the minister did not provide details on the proposed regulatory framework. He said additional information would be released by the relevant security authorities in the coming days.

The initiative brings together the NCC, Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, participating mobile network operators and other stakeholders.

The NCC further disclosed that participating operators under the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) had committed to providing the free daily data allocation.

The framework guiding the programme also addresses cybersecurity, consumer protection, child protection, data protection, fair competition and net neutrality.

The government expects the initiative to broaden students’ access to digital education while creating additional opportunities for businesses and organisations operating in educational technology, digital learning, technical training and vocational education.

Source: msmeafricaonline