ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Nigerian Communications Commission has begun consultations on a proposal that could enable millions of Nigerian students to access approved educational platforms without incurring data charges.
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 aimed at providing free access to educational resources and digital skills development platforms.
The consultation, which runs from June 19 to July 9, 2026, follows President Bola Tinubu’s call for telecommunications operators to provide “unhindered connectivity access to educational institutions and platforms of learning.”
According to the document obtained on Monday, the initiative, known as the Zero-Rated Data Access Project, is designed to reduce digital exclusion among students who cannot afford internet access for learning purposes.
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The committee said the programme was conceived to leverage telecommunications infrastructure to support national development and expand access to education nationwide.
“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 creation of a single mobile-friendly portal providing one-click access to approved educational resources exempt from data charges, or requiring telecom operators to whitelist selected educational and digital skills platforms for free access.
The committee is also seeking views on eligibility criteria, including whether access should be limited to senior secondary and tertiary students, restricted to public institutions, extended to all students and teachers in both public and private schools, or introduced in phases starting with public schools before wider expansion.
Another option under consideration is unrestricted access for all users of approved educational platforms.
However, the committee noted that sustainability concerns make it necessary to carefully define 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 added that users would be required to register under any adopted model to prevent abuse and ensure proper access control.
On content eligibility, the committee said approved materials should include structured digital resources designed for teaching, learning, skills development and academic assessment.
It proposed inclusion of 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 also listed platforms such as Google Classroom, Coursera, the Nigerian Virtual Library and the Nigeria Learning Passport among those under consideration for curated access.
However, it proposed excluding social media platforms, entertainment and streaming services, general browsing sites, data-harvesting applications, unmoderated user-generated content platforms, and hybrid applications lacking clear educational focus.
To ensure sustainability, the committee outlined funding options including the Universal Service Provision Fund, government subsidies, development partner support, public-private partnerships and cost-sharing arrangements within the telecom and education sectors.
Under one proposal, beneficiaries would enjoy free access for 12 months subject to a daily data allowance.
The NCC would review the programme every six months to assess usage, network impact, effectiveness and sustainability, after which it could transition into subsidised low-cost educational data bundles offered by operators.
The committee noted that while zero-rating could improve access, it may raise net neutrality concerns by giving preferential treatment to selected content providers. It is therefore seeking input on whether an exemption for government-approved educational platforms should be allowed.
It also raised concerns about potential anti-competitive behaviour if dominant operators promote their own services over those of smaller technology providers, and requested safeguards to prevent market distortion.
Additionally, the committee proposed that platforms should support low-bandwidth use, offline access, disability-friendly features, local language content and compatibility with low-cost devices.
It suggested monitoring the programme using indicators such as user numbers, data usage trends, geographic reach, gender inclusion, teacher adoption, exam performance and misuse cases.
Stakeholders were urged to submit evidence-based recommendations before the July 9 deadline to guide the development of a sustainable framework.