The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), in collaboration with the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), has commenced the rollout of its Zero-Rated Data Access to Approved Educational Platforms and Content Initiative, providing eligible learners with up to 100 megabytes of free daily data.
The initiative, which commenced on October 1, 2026, is designed to reduce the cost of accessing digital learning resources and enable learners to use approved educational platforms for studies, research, online courses and other academic activities.
Under the Operator-Sponsored Model, learners receiving the full 100MB daily allowance could access about 700MB of educational data weekly, approximately 3GB monthly and up to 36.5GB annually.
Speaking on the rollout, Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, said the initiative formed part of broader efforts to equip Nigerians with digital skills and knowledge while advancing human capital development.
Maida said the programme aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of building a $1 trillion economy, stressing that achieving such an ambition would require sustained investment in education, skills acquisition and access to learning opportunities.
He noted that the significance of the initiative extended beyond the daily 100MB allocation, particularly when considered over a month, a year and across the millions of learners expected to benefit.
“One hundred megabytes of data might sound a little, but when you look at it over a month and over a year, and cumulatively over the millions of learners and students that are going to access it, it’s really a significant investment by the industry towards the future of this country,” Maida said.
According to him, increased connectivity would help bridge disparities in access to educational resources across the country by connecting students to teachers, learning materials and knowledge resources irrespective of their locations.
He described the programme as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future and the telecommunications industry, saying improved access to digital education would contribute to building a more productive workforce capable of driving innovation, economic growth and national development.
“If the economy becomes more productive through these people who access these educational platforms, they are the future innovators in Nigeria, they are the ones who are going to come up with ideas and become leaders of tomorrow,” he said.
Also speaking, ALTON Chairman, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, said the telecommunications and wider technology industry had demonstrated significant commitment to the initiative through financial and in-kind contributions amounting to almost ₦200 billion for the initial pilot involving 5,000 learners.
Adebayo explained that the aggregate value covered the daily 100MB connectivity allocation, network resources, devices, terminals and other supporting contributions provided by industry stakeholders.
He said telecommunications operators were absorbing the cost of providing the connectivity and network capacity required to deliver daily access to approved educational platforms as part of their support for the Federal Government’s education and digital inclusion agenda.
According to him, the initiative has attracted a whole-of-industry response involving telecommunications operators, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), TowerCos and other technology stakeholders.
Adebayo said the impact of the initiative should not be measured solely by the volume of data provided, but also by its potential to enable learners to access knowledge, prepare for examinations, conduct research, acquire digital skills and participate in the emerging digital economy.
He described the initiative as a partnership involving government, the regulator and private-sector technology stakeholders, with government providing the policy and educational framework, NCC providing coordination and oversight, telecommunications operators providing connectivity and network resources, while OEMs, TowerCos and other partners contribute devices, terminals and other critical resources.
The ALTON chairman called on other stakeholders to contribute to the national effort, stressing that the success of digital education would require not only connectivity but also devices, appropriate content, reliable infrastructure, digital literacy and sustained investment.
He said ALTON and its members remained committed to working with the Federal Government, NCC, Federal Ministry of Education and other stakeholders to ensure that the investment delivers measurable and lasting educational outcomes.
“Investing in education is investing in Nigeria’s future and the telecommunications industry is putting its resources behind that future,” Adebayo said.
