FG To Give Students 100MB Free Daily Internet Data From October

The Federal Government has announced plans to provide Nigerian students in public senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions with 100MB of free internet data daily from October 1, 2026, under a new initiative to expand access to digital education.

Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, announced the programme on Thursday in Abuja while unveiling the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria. He said the scheme would initially target senior secondary and tertiary students before being extended to other learners.

The initiative, coordinated by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Federal Ministry of Education in partnership with mobile network operators, will allow students to access approved educational websites and digital learning platforms without paying data charges.

NCC Director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, Ayuba Shuaibu, said the 100MB daily allowance would cover approved learning management systems, digital libraries, educational repositories, teacher development platforms and technical and vocational training services. Participating operators will implement the scheme while complying with cybersecurity, consumer, child and data protection regulations.

Alausa said the programme was designed to address the cost of internet access, which he identified as a major barrier to digital learning, particularly for students from low-income households. NCC Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, said the initiative would help ensure that students’ access to educational content was not determined by their location or family income.

MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria and Globacom were identified among the major operators supporting the initiative. The government also highlighted ongoing digital education programmes, including the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure, Digital Nigeria Education Management Information System and Learner Identification Number.

Alausa further disclosed that the government was considering regulations governing internet access for children below 16, with measures to ensure that online content available to them is credible, safe and aligned with educational objectives and the national curriculum.