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The Federal Government has launched the Zero-Rated Access to Education Platforms initiative to expand access to digital learning resources for students across Nigeria.
The initiative was launched on Thursday in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The initiative will provide learners with free connectivity to approved academic sites, while the government says safeguards are also needed to protect children from cyber threats and online exposure.
What they are saying
Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said the government’s expansion of digital learning infrastructure must be accompanied by safeguards for minors.
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He disclosed that security agencies would announce guidelines for regulating internet access for children below 16 in the coming days or weeks.
- “We will be regulating internet access for children below 16 years old, and further announcements on this will be coming from our security staff in the coming days or weeks,” he said.
- “It is our duty to protect every Nigerian child, more so underage children, from all sorts of cyberattacks and digital exposure,” he added.
The minister also stressed that zero-rated access should not mean unrestricted access to platforms that describe themselves as educational.
- “Zero-rated access should not mean indiscriminate access to every platform that describes itself as educational. The content made available to our children must be accessible, credible, safe, and aligned with our educational objectives and curriculum,” Alausa said.
Also speaking, Ikechukwu Ugwuegede, a member of the NCC Board of Commissioners, described zero-rated access as a democratisation of learning comparable to the digital e-book revolution.
He said free connectivity to approved academic sites would give learners in both rural and urban communities equal access to knowledge.
- “By providing free connectivity to approved academic sites, we are ensuring that every learner, whether in a bustling city or a quiet rural community, will have equal access to knowledge.
- “This is similar to the revolution of free e-books, but on a far greater scale; we are connecting dreams to opportunities and opportunities to reality,” he said.
Senator Mohammed Muntari, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, commended telecommunications operators for using their corporate social responsibility efforts to support national education.
- “The leadership of the National Assembly appreciates the efforts of the telecommunications industry in ensuring our children are not left behind in acquiring knowledge.
- “Under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, key programmes like NELFUND and zero-rated access are working together to expand opportunities for less-advantaged Nigerians,” he said.
Peter Akpatason, a member of the House Committee on Communication, pledged parliamentary oversight to ensure telecommunications providers expand coverage to underserved communities.
He said access to information should not depend on the ability to pay for data.
Get up to speed
The Federal Government’s latest announcement comes amid ongoing efforts to balance children’s access to digital resources with stronger safeguards against online risks.
- In March 2026, Nairametrics reported that the Federal Government had begun consultations on age restrictions for social media use. The consultations sought public views on how to protect children online while preserving the educational and social benefits of internet access.
- By June, a Federal Government survey found that 83.4% of Nigerians supported restricting children’s access to social media, while 36.8% of respondents favoured 16 as the minimum age.
Also in June, the NCC announced a framework for zero-rated access to educational websites, potentially including platforms such as Coursera and Google Classroom. The framework is aimed at expanding equitable access to digital educational resources by allowing users to access selected platforms without paying for data.
What you should know
Nigeria has been steadily pushing its education system towards a more digital future, with the Federal Government working to make technology, data and online resources a bigger part of how learning is delivered and managed.
In July, the Federal Government announced plans to extend trusted digital identity coverage to nearly 80 million learners across the country.
This came as the Ministry of Education and the National Identity Management Commission work to strengthen digital systems for education.
