The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has outlined six categories of educational platforms that will qualify for the Federal Government's free 100 megabytes of daily data for students, set to begin on October 1, 2026. NCC Director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, Ayuba Shuaibu, said the Federal Ministry of Education and the commission will work together to approve and whitelist platforms eligible under the scheme.
Six Platform Categories Announced
Shuaibu said eligible platforms will fall under the following categories: learning management systems, digital libraries, educational repositories, teacher development platforms, technical training platforms, and vocational training platforms. Only platforms that receive joint approval from the Federal Ministry of Education and the NCC will be whitelisted and accessible under the zero-rated data arrangement.
How the Free Data Scheme Will Work
Shuaibu explained that the rollout will follow what the commission calls an "operator consult model," under which mobile network operators (MNOs) participating in the programme will provide the daily 100MB allowance at no cost to students. "The framework also adopts the operator's consult model for the initial rollout of the initiative. Under this model, a daily zero-rated data allowance of 100 MB will be provided by the participating MNOs for usage on approved websites and platforms," he said.
The zero-rated arrangement means students will be able to access whitelisted platforms without the data usage counting against their personal data balance or requiring them to purchase additional data bundles. The scheme forms part of the Federal Government's broader push to improve digital access for students across Nigeria, particularly as many learners in public institutions continue to face barriers to online educational resources due to the cost of internet connectivity.
