The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), announced on Thursday, September 10, 2026, that Nigerian students will receive zero-rated access to approved educational platforms starting October 1, 2026.
​The announcement was made during the official launch event held at the NCC headquarters in Abuja.
Under the framework, mobile network operators will provide approximately five million eligible students with a daily allocation of 100 megabytes (MB) of data exclusively to access whitelisted digital learning materials without incurring internet charges.
The 100MB daily allowance per student (15 billion MB monthly industry-wide), representing an estimated ₦180 billion in annual data contribution by telecom operators.
There are also Learning Management Systems (LMS), digital libraries, educational repositories, and technical/vocational training portals jointly approved by the NCC and the Federal Ministry of Education.
Dr. Tunji Alausa (Minister of Education): Disclosed the October 1 target date during his keynote address. “Let me let out the secret. This will be made available to Nigerian students from October 1st, 2026,” Alausa stated, emphasizing that the initiative is designed to democratize learning for indigent households and ensure geography or income does not restrict educational access.
Dr. Aminu Maida (Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, NCC): Reaffirmed the telecom regulator’s commitment to bridging digital divides. “It is not about providing connectivity; it is about giving people connectivity to gain knowledge,” Maida noted, adding that operator investments in upgrading over 12,000 cell sites nationwide would bolster service quality in underserved regions.
Engr. Adetunji Adeyemo (Representing Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy): Reiterated that zero-rating educational content makes digital learning affordable and inclusive while driving a knowledge-based economy.
Ayuba Shuaibu (Director of Policy, Competitions and Economic Analysis, NCC): Detailed the framework’s strict compliance guidelines, highlighting provisions for cybersecurity, child protection online, and regulatory safeguards ensuring net neutrality.
​The initiative will be supported by the Federal Ministry of Education’s Learner Identification Number (LIN) and newly digitised national school databases to ensure secure verification and targeted distribution of data allowances to eligible students.
