The Federal Government says it will introduce regulated internet access for children below the age of 16 as part of measures to protect Nigerian children from cyberattacks and other dangers online.
Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Thursday at the launch of the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria. He said the government was also removing data costs for approved educational platforms used by millions of learners in senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions.
Alausa said the initiative is aimed at removing the financial barrier that prevents many students from accessing digital learning resources. He noted that poverty and geographical location should not determine a learner’s access to quality education.
On child protection, the minister said the government was concerned about the risks children face online, including cyberattacks. He said regulated internet access would eventually be introduced for every child below 16.
The minister called for collaboration among government, telecommunications companies, technology firms, educational institutions and development partners to expand safe and affordable digital learning. The House and Senate committees on communications and tertiary institutions also pledged support for efforts to improve access to digital education.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government will provide about five million eligible Nigerian students with 100MB of free data daily from October 1, 2026, to access approved educational websites and digital learning platforms. The initiative will initially cover senior secondary and tertiary students as part of efforts to improve digital learning access.