GistReel
The Federal Government has announced that students in public senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions will begin receiving 100 megabytes of free daily data from October 1, 2026.
The initiative, designed to reduce the cost of accessing digital education, will allow eligible students to use the daily data allocation on approved educational websites and learning platforms.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed the commencement date during the launch of the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria in Abuja.
Alausa said, “Let me let out the secret. This will be made available to Nigerian students from October 1st, 2026.”
Students to access approved learning platforms
Under the programme, participating mobile network operators will provide students with 100MB of zero-rated data daily. The allowance will initially benefit learners in public senior secondary schools and public tertiary institutions before being expanded to other categories.
According to the government, approved platforms could include digital libraries, learning management systems, educational repositories, teacher development resources and technical and vocational training platforms.
Alausa said the programme was intended to ensure that financial constraints do not prevent students from accessing educational materials online.
He said, “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.”
MTN, Airtel, Glo support free data initiative
The Nigerian Communications Commission said educational platforms would be jointly assessed and approved with the Federal Ministry of Education before being included in the scheme.
Major telecommunications operators supporting the initiative include MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria and Globacom.
The government said the programme forms part of broader efforts to improve digital inclusion and make educational resources more accessible, particularly to students from low-income households and underserved communities.