October 1: FG Announces 100MB Free Daily Data For Nigerian Students

The Federal Government has announced plans to provide students in public senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions with 100MB of free daily data from October 1, 2026.

The initiative is aimed at reducing the cost of internet access for students and improving their ability to use digital educational resources, including approved learning platforms and websites.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed the commencement date in Abuja during the launch of the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Alausa said the government had set October 1, 2026, as the date for eligible Nigerian students to begin benefiting from the daily data allocation.

Under the programme, participating telecommunications operators will provide 100MB of zero-rated data to eligible students every day. The initiative will initially cover learners in public senior secondary schools and public tertiary institutions, with plans to extend the scheme to other categories of students.

The government explained that the data allocation would be restricted to approved educational websites and learning platforms rather than general internet browsing.

The platforms expected to benefit from the initiative include digital libraries, learning management systems, educational repositories, teacher development resources, as well as technical and vocational training platforms.

Alausa said the programme was designed to ensure that financial difficulties would not prevent Nigerian students from accessing educational materials online. He stressed that the government’s broader objective was to make quality digital learning content accessible to learners regardless of their financial circumstances.

The Nigerian Communications Commission is expected to work with the Federal Ministry of Education to assess and approve the educational platforms that will be included in the zero-rating programme.

Major telecommunications companies, including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria and Globacom, are supporting the initiative by participating in the provision of access to the approved educational platforms.

The Federal Government said the programme forms part of its broader efforts to promote digital inclusion and expand access to educational resources, particularly for students from low-income households and communities with limited access to digital learning opportunities.

With the planned rollout on October 1, eligible students are expected to gain daily access to educational content without having to spend their personal data allowance on the approved platforms.