The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Meta and other stakeholders are advancing plans to allow students and teachers access approved educational platforms without paying for internet data.
The proposal formed the focus of a public consultation held in Abuja on Tuesday, where regulators, telecom operators, education authorities, development partners and technology firms discussed implementation options for the proposed zero-rated access to educational platforms and content framework.
The consultation follows the NCC’s release of a draft framework proposing that students and teachers be granted free access to selected educational websites and digital learning platforms as part of efforts to improve digital inclusion and expand access to quality education.
Speaking at the event, Aminu Maida, executive vice-chairman (EVC) of the NCC, said the initiative is aimed at removing the affordability barrier preventing millions of Nigerian students from participating in digital learning.
Maida, represented by Ayuba Shuaibu, the commission’s director of policy, competition and economic analysis, said an industry committee had already reviewed the technical, regulatory, policy and commercial implications of the proposal before publishing a consultation paper for public input.
“The objective of this initiative is straightforward but deeply significant; and that is to reduce the affordability barrier that locks millions of Nigerian students out of the digital classroom,” he said.
Maida said the consultation would help determine the most appropriate implementation model, eligibility criteria, approved educational platforms, funding arrangements and safeguards to preserve net neutrality and fair competition.
He added that the programme would not impose financial obligations on either the NCC or beneficiary institutions, noting that participating mobile network operators (MNOs) would absorb the cost of providing zero-rated data access.
“The collaboration with the MNOs means it is not going to be at a cost to the commission, and it is not going to be at a cost to the beneficiary institutions,” he said, adding that the scheme is expected to cover both tertiary and secondary schools.
The federal ministry of education also backed the proposal, saying it aligns with the Nigeria education sector renewal initiative (NESRI), which seeks to improve learning outcomes through technology-enabled education.
Represented by Zainab Suleiman, director of information and communication technology, the ministry said high internet costs, poor connectivity and unequal access to digital learning resources continue to limit learning opportunities across the country.
Suleiman said the framework must go beyond connectivity to address educational quality, learner protection, child online safety, data privacy and sustainability, while recommending that implementation begin with a pilot phase to assess costs, usage patterns and technical requirements before nationwide deployment.
Yinka Oyerinde, digital transformation specialist at UNESCO’s Abuja office, described the consultation as timely, noting that demand for online learning has grown significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said UNESCO developed a zero-rated access toolkit in 2020 to guide governments and regulators implementing similar interventions but cautioned that zero-rating should serve as a temporary measure rather than a permanent solution.
“Zero rating is not the final solution but a powerful immediate tool. It is a bridge towards ensuring that every learner has access to quality educational opportunities,” Oyerinde said.
He urged the NCC to develop a nationally agreed whitelist of approved educational platforms and build a clear exit strategy into the framework to ensure sustainability after subsidies end.
Meta also pledged support for the initiative through its Free Basics platform.
Sade Dada, Meta’s head of public policy for Anglophone West Africa, said the company has worked with Nigerian telecom operators since 2016 to expand affordable internet access and is ready to support the implementation of the framework.