Students to get 100MB daily for accessing educational websites from October 1
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has introduced
zero-rated access to selected educational platforms, allowing eligible Nigerian
students to access learning content without paying for data.
Aminu Maida, executive vice-chairman of the NCC, spoke at
the launch of the initiative on Thursday.
Maida said the initiative will provide eligible students
with up to 100 megabytes of data daily to access approved educational platforms
and content.
He said the initiative was designed to make digital
education more accessible to students, particularly those in underserved
communities.
According to Maida, the programme’s design considered
sustainability to ensure the cost of providing the service would not place an
excessive burden on telecommunications operators.
“The first time it was raised when we had that discussion,
that was the first thing that we had to sit down and figure out. How can this
be done in such a way that we are not putting too much burden on the networks?”
he said.
“Sustainability was actually very key to the design of this
initiative, and that is why we have a cap of 100 megabytes a day.”
The NCC said the daily allocation amounts to about 3GB per
month, which Maida described as a significant amount of data for eligible
students to access educational resources.
He said telecommunications operators had agreed to support
the initiative as part of efforts to improve digital inclusion and contribute
to human-capital development.
“For me, this is also a way that the industry is showing
that, thank you, Nigerians, for accepting that we had to do this,” Maida said.
Maida said the next phase of the initiative would focus on
expanding connectivity to communities that remain unserved or underserved.
He said the 100MB daily allocation would be of limited
benefit to students who live in areas without reliable network coverage.
“So I think for me, the next thing is how can we
aggressively take service to the unserved and underserved,” Maida said.
“With every additional community we’re able to give service,
it means that we’re giving X number of students or children the opportunity to
be educated or enlightened.”
He said the NCC would continue working with operators and
other stakeholders to improve the quality and reach of connectivity.
On his part, Bosun Tijani, minister of communications,
innovation and digital economy, said the initiative was conceived around the
need to remove the cost of internet access as a barrier to education.
Tijani, represented by Tunji Adeyemo, director, National
Frequency Management Council secretariat, said the idea was discussed as part
of efforts to extend educational resources to children in remote and
underserved parts of the country.
“It’s essential to effective learning. This initiative
therefore represents significant steps toward making digital education more
affordable, accessible, and inclusive, particularly for learners in underserved
communities,” Tijani said.
The minister said the programme demonstrated the importance
of collaboration between government, the education sector, telecommunications
operators, technology platforms and educational institutions.
He assured the NCC and other stakeholders of the ministry’s
continued support for programmes promoting digital inclusion, affordable
connectivity and access to knowledge.
ZERO-RATED WILL REMOVE DATA BARRIER, AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS
FROM OCTOBER 1
In his keynote address, Tunji Alausa, minister of education said the initiative
will be available to students from October 1, 2026.
He said the initiative represented not only a
telecommunications intervention but also an education and inclusion programme.
He said the federal government was working to ensure that a
child’s location or family income does not determine access to quality
educational resources.
“Digitalisation must ultimately reach every learner,” Alausa
said.
“A digital platform can be difficult for a child who cannot
afford the data required to access excellent online lessons. The benefits of
technology cannot be truly transformative if access remains determined by
household income and geography.”
He said zero-rating approved educational platforms could
turn mobile phones, tablets and computers into classrooms, libraries and
gateways to knowledge.
The minister said the programme would initially target
learners in senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions, with plans to
extend it to other categories of learners.
“Our vision must be that ultimately, no Nigerian learner
should be denied access to quality educational content simply because he or she
cannot afford the data,” he said.
He, however, warned that zero-rating should not translate
into unrestricted access to platforms that merely describe themselves as
educational.
“For a child from a low-income household, the cost of data
can determine whether an educational resource is accessible or inaccessible.
Zero-rating therefore has the potential to transform a mobile phone, tablet or
computer from simply a communication device into a classroom, a library and a
gateway to opportunity,” he said.
Alausa added that content made available to students must be
credible, safe and aligned with Nigeria’s educational objectives and
curriculum.
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