Emma Okonji
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has launched the Zero-Rated Data Access to Educational Platforms and Content initiative to expand access to learning resources, bridge educational inequalities and support the country’s long-term economic growth by investing in human capital.
The Zero-Rated Data Access to Educational Platforms and Content, which was launched on Thursday, is a coordinated national approach to improving affordable and equitable access to digital education across Nigeria and is also aligned with Nigeria’s broader digital economy objectives.
Under the initiative’s Operator-Sponsored Model, eligible users will receive up to 100 megabytes of free daily data allowance to access designated educational platforms which means a learner receiving the free 100MB would enjoy about 700MB of educational data each week, roughly 3GB every month, and up to 36.5GB annually.
Speaking on the launch of the programme, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, explained that the initiative, which provides learners with free access to approved educational platforms, is part of broader efforts by the government to equip Nigerians with digital skills and knowledge.
Maida said the programme would align with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of building a $1 trillion economy, which he said depends heavily on developing the country’s human capital.
“We need to appreciate how critical education is to economic development because of the role of human capital,” Maida said. “The President has made it very clear the role of human capital towards achieving the $1 trillion economy goal,” he stated.
According to him, while government programmes such as digital skills initiatives are helping to build capacity, internet connectivity remains essential for citizens to fully benefit from such opportunities.
“This is where this initiative is very critical,” he said.
“One hundred megabytes of data might sound a little, but when you look at it over a month and over a year, and cumulatively over the millions of learners and students that are going to access it, it’s really a significant investment by the industry towards the future of this country,” he noted.
According to available estimates on educational data consumption, the 100Mb free daily data allowance could provide learners with an average of between two and five hours of study time per day, depending on the type of learning activity. While reading text materials, PDF documents and conducting educational searches typically consume about 5 to 15MB per hour, allowing for as much as seven to 20 hours of access, participation in text-based online learning platforms generally uses 10 to 25MB per hour, translating to about four to 10 hours of learning.
Audio-based lessons, which consume approximately 30 to 60MB per hour, could still provide between one and three hours of continuous educational engagement. This means the initiative has the potential to significantly expand access to digital learning opportunities for millions of students across Nigeria.
The EVC said improved connectivity could also help address disparities in educational resources across different parts of the country by linking students to teachers and learning materials irrespective of location.
Industry stakeholders including operators have estimated that the cost implication of providing data to five million students in the programme could run into N15 billion monthly and N180 billion annually.
