NCC, ALTON launch free 100MB daily data for learners from October 1, 2026

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) have launched a zero-rated data scheme that gives eligible learners up to 100 megabytes of free data every day. The initiative takes effect from October 1, 2026.

The free data works only on designated educational platforms, covering online courses, research materials and other approved learning resources.

What each learner gets

The daily 100MB adds up to roughly 700MB weekly, about 3GB monthly and as much as 36.5GB over a full year per learner.

NCC executive vice chairman and chief executive officer, Dr Aminu Maida, said the scheme is part of a wider push to build digital skills across the country and aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's goal of growing the economy to $1 trillion.

Maida 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 added that better connectivity could narrow the gap in access to learning resources, linking students to teachers and study materials regardless of where they live.

Industry puts in nearly N200 billion

ALTON chairman, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, said the telecoms and wider technology sector has committed almost N200 billion in financial and in-kind support to cover the pilot phase, which targets 5,000 learners.

That figure covers daily connectivity allocations, network capacity, devices, terminals and other contributions from industry partners, including original equipment manufacturers and tower companies.

Adebayo described the scheme as a multi-stakeholder partnership with each party playing a distinct role.

He said: "This is a partnership in the truest sense: Government provides the policy and educational framework; the regulator provides coordination and oversight; telecommunications operators provide connectivity and network resources; while OEMs, TowerCos and other technology partners contribute devices, terminals and other critical resources."

He urged other stakeholders to join the effort, noting that meaningful digital education needs more than data. It must be backed by devices, relevant content, reliable infrastructure, digital literacy programmes and sustained funding.

Adebayo said: "Investing in education is investing in Nigeria's future and the telecommunications industry is putting its resources behind that future."

ALTON said it will keep working with the government, the NCC, the Federal Ministry of Education and other partners to track whether the programme delivers measurable improvements in learning outcomes.

Why it matters

The scheme lands as Nigerian data appetite keeps climbing. Nigerians consumed about 1.6 million terabytes of data in July 2026, an increase of almost 47% from the 1.13 million terabytes recorded in July 2025, according to NCC figures. Free educational data on that scale could push more learners onto networks during study hours, while giving operators a wider pool of first-time users to convert later.