The Federal Government has announced that Nigerian students will begin receiving 100 megabytes of free daily data from October 1, 2026, to access approved educational websites and digital learning platforms.

The initiative, being implemented by the Nigerian Communications Commission in partnership with telecommunications operators and the Federal Ministry of Education, will initially cover learners in public senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the commencement date on Thursday at the launch of the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria in Abuja.

“Let me let out the secret. This will be made available to Nigerian students from October 1st, 2026,” Alausa said, acknowledging the contribution of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria to the programme.


Under the framework, participating mobile network operators will provide a daily zero-rated data allowance of 100MB, which beneficiaries can use on approved educational websites and platforms.

Speaking further, Alausa said the initiative would begin with senior secondary school and tertiary institution students before being extended to other categories of learners.

“Our ambition must be that, ultimately, no Nigerian learner should be denied access to quality educational content simply because he or she cannot afford data,” the minister said.


He noted that the cost of internet data had become a major barrier to digital education, particularly for children from low-income households.

According to him, providing access to educational platforms without data charges could transform mobile phones, tablets and computers into classrooms and libraries for students who might otherwise struggle to access digital resources.

The minister also disclosed that the government was working on measures to regulate internet access for children below the age of 16, with further details expected to be announced.

He said educational content made available to children must be “appropriate, credible, safe and aligned with our educational objectives and our curriculum.”

Alausa added, “It will be regulating internet access to children below 16 years old,” saying further announcements would follow on the proposed measure.

The minister said the government was also expanding the digitalisation of the education sector through the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure, Digital Nigeria Education Management Information System and the Learner Identification Number.

He disclosed that more than 240,000 schools had been geo-mapped and geolocated across the country, while the government was digitising the Annual School Census to obtain information on enrolment, teachers, classrooms, laboratories, libraries, connectivity and school safety.


The NCC Director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, Ayuba Shuaibu, said the Federal Ministry of Education and the commission would jointly approve the educational platforms to be whitelisted under the initiative.

He said eligible platforms would include learning management systems, digital libraries, educational repositories, teacher development platforms, as well as technical and vocational training platforms.

“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,” Shuaibu said.

He explained that the scheme would provide zero-rated access to public secondary schools and public tertiary institutions, giving students access to selected learning resources at no cost.

According to him, the framework also requires compliance with telecommunications laws and regulations covering cybersecurity, consumer protection, child protection and data protection. It also contains safeguards on net neutrality, fair competition and inclusivity.

Earlier, the NCC Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, said millions of students were unable to access digital learning platforms because of affordability challenges.

She said the initiative was designed to ensure that no learner was excluded from educational content because of location or household income.


“The Zero-Rated Access Initiative exists to erase that line. Its principle is simple: no learner should be shut out of educational content because of where they live or what their family earns,” Makama said.

She explained that the NCC, participating mobile network operators under ALTON, the Federal Ministries of Communications and Education, and other partners carried out research, benchmarking, testing and consultations before developing the framework.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, represented by the Director, National Frequency Management Council Secretariat, Adetunji Adeyemo, described the initiative as a significant step towards making digital education more affordable and accessible, particularly to learners in underserved communities.

He pledged the ministry’s continued support for programmes promoting digital inclusion, affordable connectivity and access to knowledge.

In his closing remarks, the NCC Executive Commissioner for Technical Services, Abraham Oshadami, identified MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria and Globacom among the major mobile network operators supporting the programme.

He thanked the operators for their “commitment to support its implementation by providing free data allowances for learners to access approved platforms.”

500 youths on Thursday graduated from a one month skills training organised by the Agege local government in collaboration with Oladele Inspires Initiatives.

The training tagged ‘Get Ahead Boot camp 4.0’ was to engage teenagers during the long holiday period by training them in various skills such as photography, cinematography, graphics designing among others.

At the certificate presentation to the participants held at the Agege local government secretariat, Agege, the council Chairman, Vinod Obasa said through the initiative and other programmes of the council, his administration had been able to keep about 4,000 young people engaged throughout the holiday period out of which about 2,000 of them participated in sports activities every week and other productive activities.

Obasa noted that the objectives of the training was to keep young people engaged, make them productive and prevent them from getting involved in vices during the holiday period.

“For us in Agege, we want to be known for the right things. We want our young people to understand their potential and see the opportunities available to them in the future. They can become engineers, doctors, permanent secretaries and successful professionals in different fields. They simply need to stay away from vices and engage themselves in productive activities,” Obasa said.

The council Chairman added that aside from acquiring university certificates, youths should learn skills that will be useful for them in the future noting that ‘adding practical skills to your education can make you productive, create opportunities and enable you to add value to yourself and society.

He called on other individuals to emulate the Oladele Inspires Initiatives by giving back to the society. He also commended the initiator of the programme, Oladele Olaniyan for sustaining the programme in the last four editions while also promising that the council will continue to support such initiatives. The chairman also called on youths to ‘shy away from crime and other vices.

“Leave those things alone because they will not add anything positive to your lives. At the end of the day, they can only leave you with regrets,” he said.

The initiator of the programme, Oladele Olaniyan said he organised the programme having grown up learning skills which helped him when he grew up.

“ We organized this programme so that teenagers can learn skills when they are still young. We trained them in cinematography, drone piloting, photography and graphic design with support from the Agege local government Chairman. We wanted to train 200 but he said we should increase it to 500,” he said.

He assured that the programme will continue yearly with focus on teenagers during their holiday. He urged the beneficiaries to learn more and not rely only on the knowledge they gained during the one month training.

One of the beneficiaries, Ania-Casimia from Delta State who came to learn photography commended the organisers of the programme.

“ I used to consider myself an amateur photographer, but now I can confidently say that I am a photographer. After completing my photography training, I felt I needed to learn more. So I attended the programme to train in photography, cinematography and graphic design.

The training has been worthwhile and amazing. I’ve gained a lot of knowledge and a basic understanding of things that I previously didn’t know. Before the training, I was basically stumbling around and figuring things out as I went along. But this training was able to put me on a clear pathway, and that has really worked for me. I’ve been able to see the results in my photography,” he said.

Another participant Modinat Opemipo from Ikorodu said she was at the camp to learn drone piloting and learnt the dynamics of drones and how to fly a drone. She thanked the organisers for the initiative.

First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, has appealed to voters in the South-East to support her husband, President Bola Tinubu, for a second term in the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking at a women’s empowerment event in Owerri, Imo State, Mrs Tinubu said she wanted President Tinubu re-elected because she hopes to see a prosperous Nigeria in her old age.

“Make una vote for Mr President, we go work for una and Nigeria go better,” she told the gathering, adding that she wanted to “enjoy Nigeria at old age.”

The empowerment programme, coordinated through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, is targeting 18,500 women nationwide.

In the South-East, 500 women from each of the five states received business equipment, including generators, grinding machines, gas cylinders and industrial ovens. In Imo, Governor Hope Uzodimma sponsored equipment for an additional 2,000 women, bringing the state’s beneficiaries to 2,500. Mrs Tinubu also announced a ₦100,000 cash grant for each beneficiary present.

The appeal comes as President Tinubu prepares to seek re-election amid growing opposition realignments ahead of the 2027 polls.

President Tinubu, who was elected into office in 2023 and secured the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the upcoming 2027 general election, will be contesting against major opposition contenders including Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peter Obi of the New Democratic Coalition (NDC)

In the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress won with 8,794,726 votes, defeating Atiku under the Peoples Democratic Party, who polled 6,984,520 votes, and Obi under the Labour Party, who finished third with 6,101,533 votes.

Since assuming the presidency, Tinubu has pursued major economic and structural reforms under his Renewed Hope Agenda, including removing the fuel subsidy, liberalising the foreign exchange market and overhauling the tax system.

However, the reforms have also faced strong criticism by opposition and some Nigerians over their impact on citizens, with inflation, rising food and transport costs, naira depreciation, and insecurity.

The 2027 general elections are scheduled to begin on January 16, 2027, according to the INEC timetable. The final voter register is expected on January 11, followed by presidential and National Assembly elections on January 16.

Political campaigns will end on February 18, with a possible runoff scheduled for February 28, while governorship and State Assembly elections are set for March 6, 2027.