NCC plans free internet access for students

The Nigerian Communications Commission has commenced consultations on a proposal that could allow millions of Nigerian students to access approved educational platforms without paying for internet data.

The proposal, contained in a consultation paper issued by the Joint NCC-Industry Committee on the Implementation of Zero-Rated Access to Education Platforms for Students in Nigeria, seeks public input on a framework for providing free access to educational resources and digital skills development platforms.

The consultation, which runs from June 19 to July 9, 2026, follows calls by President Bola Tinubu for telecommunications operators to provide “unhindered connectivity access to educational institutions and platforms of learning.”

According to the document obtained by The PidomNigeria on Monday, the initiative, known as the Zero-Rated Data Access Project, is aimed at addressing digital exclusion among students who are unable to afford internet access for learning purposes.

The committee stated that the programme was conceived to leverage telecommunications infrastructure to support national development and improve access to education across the country.

“The Joint Committee believes that national economic growth and competitiveness will be enhanced by ensuring that Nigerian students can easily access the most current digital education platforms being utilised by their peers globally,” the consultation paper stated.

It added, “The easiest way to close the access gap is to eliminate the affordability barrier through a Zero-Rated Data Access programme.” The committee said the primary objective of the initiative was to provide free access to formal education and digital skills development platforms for teaching, learning and assessment.

Other objectives include expanding access to digital educational resources, improving learning outcomes and digital literacy, promoting affordable broadband access for students and educators, and ensuring compliance with fair competition and net neutrality principles.

To implement the programme, the committee is considering two options. The first is the creation of a single mobile-friendly portal through which learners would gain one-click access to approved educational resources, all of which would be exempt from data charges.

The second option would require telecommunications operators to whitelist approved educational and digital skills development websites, allowing eligible users to access them free of charge.

The committee is also seeking public input on who should benefit from the initiative. Among the options under consideration are restricting access to students in senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions, limiting eligibility to students in public institutions, extending access to all students and teachers in both public and private schools, or adopting a phased approach beginning with public schools before expanding to private institutions.

Another option being considered would allow unrestricted access to all users seeking to utilise approved educational platforms, regardless of their educational status.

However, the committee noted that sustainability concerns made it necessary to carefully determine eligibility requirements.

“The Joint Committee is mindful that each of these options has cost and sustainability implications and encourages stakeholders to include financing options in the comments to guide the Committee in designing a sustainable model,” it stated.

The document noted that regardless of the model eventually adopted, users would be required to register in order to prevent abuse and enable effective access control.

On the type of content that should qualify for free access, the committee said educational content should consist of structured digital materials and services designed primarily to support teaching, learning, skills development and academic assessment.

It proposed that approved content could include curriculum-aligned materials, accredited e-learning platforms recognised by the Federal Ministry of Education and examination bodies such as WAEC and NECO, digital libraries, research repositories, teacher training platforms and public examination resources.

The committee is also considering curated access to platforms such as Google Classroom, Coursera, the Nigerian Virtual Library and the Nigeria Learning Passport.

At the same time, it proposed excluding social media platforms, entertainment and streaming services, general internet browsing websites, data-harvesting applications, unmoderated user-generated content platforms and applications that combine educational and non-educational content without clear separation.

To ensure long-term viability, the committee outlined several funding options, including support from the Universal Service Provision Fund, government subsidies, development partners, public-private partnerships and a cost-sharing arrangement among stakeholders in the telecommunications and education sectors.

Under one proposal, beneficiaries would receive free access to approved educational platforms for an initial period of 12 months, subject to a daily data allowance.

The NCC would conduct reviews every six months to assess usage patterns, network impact, effectiveness and sustainability. After the initial period, the programme could transition to a paid model supported by low-cost educational data bundles offered by telecommunications operators.

According to the committee, the arrangement would help maintain affordability while avoiding permanent obligations that could discourage investment in network infrastructure.

The consultation paper also highlighted regulatory concerns surrounding the proposal. It noted that zero-rating, which exempts selected online content from data charges, could potentially conflict with net neutrality principles by giving preferential treatment to certain content providers.

Consequently, the committee is seeking views on whether Nigeria should permit a specific exemption for government-approved educational platforms. The committee also raised concerns about the possibility of anti-competitive practices if dominant operators use the programme to promote their own educational services at the expense of smaller technology firms.

It, therefore, requested recommendations on safeguards that could prevent market distortion and ensure fair competition. Also, the committee proposed that educational platforms should be designed to support low-bandwidth usage, offline learning, disability-friendly access, local language content and compatibility with low-cost devices.

It said the programme should also be monitored using indicators such as active user numbers, data consumption trends, geographic reach, gender inclusion, teacher adoption rates, examination performance and cases of misuse.

The committee urged stakeholders to submit evidence-based recommendations before the July 9 deadline to assist in developing a sustainable framework for the initiative.