Nigeria is set to roll out the Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content Initiative today (Thursday), Independence Day — a free data scheme targeting around 5 million students in public senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions.
Aimed at expanding digital inclusion, tackling inequalities and the cost of digital education, and eventually enabling participation in the digital economy, the initiative offers eligible users 100MB of free daily data for designated educational websites, digital libraries and learning apps, without deductions from their regular data balances.
The zero-rated service is a partnership between the Federal Ministry of Education and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). Backed by the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, the service is offered by 9mobile, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom and MTN Nigeria.
"We want people to be able to achieve their full potential and want to remove everything in the way of achieving that," said Idris Olorunnimbe, chairperson of the NCC Governing Board, on the eve of Thursday's activation.
"The more educated people that we have, the more success we will have as people and as a country, and the quicker we will get to the $3 trillion economy that Mr President [Bola] Tinubu is pursuing."
The government of West Africa's largest economy aims to grow the current $375 billion economy to that target by 2030. Digital jobs are among the key sectors Nigeria is focusing on to reach it.
Dr Aminu Maida, NCC executive vice-chairperson and chief executive officer, commented on the timing of the rollout. "As Nigeria celebrates another year of nationhood, this is a special independence gift," Maida said.
Africa's most populous nation, estimated at 242.4 million people, is marking 66 years of self-rule.
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