Free 100MB a day for learning from 1 October: how NCC’s scheme works

From Thursday, 1 October, students in Nigeria should be able to use approved educational websites and apps without paying for the data, up to 100MB a day. The scheme, formally called Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content, was unveiled in Abuja earlier this month by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

What ‘zero-rated’ means

Normally, every page you load or video you stream eats into your data bundle. Zero-rating means your network does not charge you for traffic to specific, pre-approved destinations. Under this scheme, participating mobile network operators will cover up to 100MB a day on approved learning platforms. The NCC says that adds up to about 700MB a week, or roughly 3GB a month.

“One hundred megabytes of data might sound a little,” the NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Dr Aminu Maida, acknowledged, before arguing that it becomes significant over a month and a year, across millions of learners.

Who qualifies and what is covered

The first phase targets learners at senior secondary and tertiary levels, with plans to extend access to other groups later. Platforms must be approved jointly by the Federal Ministry of Education and the NCC, and must meet rules on cybersecurity, child protection and data protection. Eligible categories include learning management systems, digital libraries, educational repositories, teacher-development platforms and technical and vocational training services. The NCC says several platforms have already been assessed and whitelisted, with more to come.

The cost is being carried by the telecoms industry rather than the government. Industry stakeholders put it at about N15 billion a month for five million students.

Some details are still unclear. The published announcements did not include a full public list of approved platforms or spell out exactly how eligibility will be checked. Look for confirmed details on the NCC’s official website and verified social media accounts, from your network, or through your school or institution.

Anything that promises free data can attract copycats. Be wary of messages that ask you to click a link, share your BVN, NIN or bank details, or pay a fee to ‘activate’ the allowance. Genuine information will come from the NCC, the Ministry of Education or your network, not from forwarded chain messages.

What next: Watch for the list of whitelisted platforms and your network’s confirmation as the scheme goes live on 1 October.