The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has commenced a public consultation on plans to introduce free data access for students across the country as part of efforts to expand digital learning and improve access to educational resources.
The initiative follows a directive by President Bola Tinubu aimed at removing affordability barriers to internet access and promoting digital literacy among Nigerian students. The public consultation opened on June 19 and will run until July 9.
The proposed programme comes as Nigeria continues to accelerate digital transformation in the education sector. Despite growing internet penetration, millions of students still face limited access to online learning because of the high cost of data, making affordable connectivity a critical component of educational development.
To drive the initiative, the NCC has established a Joint NCC-Industry Committee to develop a sustainable framework for providing uninterrupted internet connectivity to educational institutions nationwide.
The primary objective is to enable students to access formal educational content and digital skills development platforms without incurring data charges.
As part of the consultation, the Commission is evaluating two implementation models. The first involves creating a central, mobile-friendly portal that aggregates approved educational resources, while the second proposes requiring telecommunications operators to whitelist curriculum-approved educational websites for free access.
To prevent abuse of the initiative, the committee is considering strict eligibility criteria.
Among the options being examined is limiting the programme to students in public senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions or expanding the initiative to cover all primary and secondary schools across the country.
Educational resources eligible for free access will be aligned with approved curricula and certified by relevant regulatory bodies, including the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The proposal excludes non-educational platforms, including social media applications and high-bandwidth entertainment streaming services, to ensure that the initiative remains focused on learning.
To support implementation without placing excessive financial pressure on telecommunications operators, the proposal recommends an initial 12-month pilot phase during which students would receive complimentary daily data allowances.
Funding for the pilot programme is expected to come through the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), government support and contributions from international development partners, including UNICEF.
Following the pilot phase, the framework is expected to transition to a subsidised model offering low-cost educational data bundles to students.
The NCC also plans to conduct biannual reviews to assess the impact of the initiative on telecommunications infrastructure, monitor usage patterns and evaluate its relationship with students’ academic performance and examination outcomes.
The Commission has invited telecommunications operators, educational institutions, stakeholders and members of the public to submit evidence-based recommendations to help shape the final framework, while ensuring fair market competition and adherence to the principles of net neutrality.
Electronic submissions are to be sent in PDF format to the Commission on or before July 9 as part of the ongoing consultation process.
