Millions of Nigerian students are set to access approved educational platforms without paying internet data charges under a new Federal Government digital education initiative.
The initiative was unveiled on Thursday by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, under the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria, as part of efforts to remove the cost of internet access as a barrier to digital learning.
Alausa said the programme was designed to make digital education more accessible to children and young people, regardless of their financial circumstances or location.
“This initiative goes beyond connectivity. It is about putting learning within reach of children who may otherwise be unable to afford the data required to access it,” Alausa said.
The minister said the government was determined to ensure that the cost of internet connectivity no longer determines which Nigerian children can access quality educational resources.
The intervention comes as Nigeria continues to face significant challenges in the education sector, including millions of out-of-school children, inadequate learning facilities, poor internet connectivity, unreliable electricity and limited digital literacy.
According to the Federal Government, zero-rated access to approved educational content could expand digital learning opportunities, particularly for students in underserved and hard-to-reach communities where conventional educational infrastructure remains limited.
Alausa said poverty and geographical location should not determine the quality of educational opportunities available to Nigerian children, noting that a smartphone, tablet or computer could serve as a classroom, library and gateway to opportunities when the cost barrier to accessing educational content is removed.
He said the initiative was part of the digital transformation component of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and was being implemented through the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative.
The minister added that the Federal Ministry of Education was also developing the infrastructure needed to support a modern education system through programmes including the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure, Digital Nigeria Education Management Information System and Learner Identification Number.
However, Alausa stressed that the success of the government’s digital reforms would not be measured simply by the number of platforms created or devices distributed, but by their ability to reach learners and improve educational outcomes.
“The real measure of digital transformation would be its ability to reach the learner and improve the quality of education,” he said.
Nigeria has previously implemented zero-rated access to educational platforms, including the Nigeria Learning Passport, developed by the Federal Government, UNICEF and other partners to provide curriculum materials to learners and teachers.
UNICEF previously reported that users accessing the Nigeria Learning Passport through an Airtel SIM could use the platform without data charges after the service was whitelisted, while connectivity was also extended to schools in hard-to-reach communities.
The latest initiative represents a broader effort to establish zero-rated access to approved educational platforms as digital technology becomes increasingly important to teaching and learning.
While expanding access to digital education, the government is also considering stronger protections for children online.
Alausa disclosed that plans were being developed for regulated internet access for children below 16 years, citing concerns over cyberattacks and other risks associated with children’s increasing exposure to digital platforms.
“At some point, there would be regulated internet access for every child below the age of 16 years as part of measures to strengthen online child protection,” the minister said.
The proposed regulation would add a child-protection component to the government’s digital education strategy, with the minister stressing that increased access to technology must be matched with appropriate safeguards.
Alausa called for continued cooperation among the Federal Ministry of Education, state governments, the Nigerian Communications Commission, telecommunications companies, technology firms, development partners, educational institutions and teachers to ensure the programme succeeds.
He also urged stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria’s digital education drive produces more than technology users, saying the country needs a generation capable of creating technology, innovating and applying digital tools to solve societal challenges.
Source: Federal Ministry of Education
