The Federal Government has unveiled a national initiative to empower teachers across Nigeria with subsidised mobile devices and zero-rated data access to enhance digital teaching and professional development.
The initiative, launched by the Federal Ministry of Education on Thursday, will benefit 8,000 teachers from the six geopolitical zones in its first phase, which is scheduled to run from December 2025 to July 2026.
Implemented with technical support from the UK-funded Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) initiative, the programme forms part of the government’s Education Public-Private Partnership (ePPP) framework and aligns with the National Digital Learning Policy (NDLP).
Speaking at the Ministerial Roundtable on Zero-Rated Data and Devices for Nigerian Teachers, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, described the initiative as a transformative step toward building a digitally competent teaching workforce capable of delivering quality education in the 21st century.
Dr. Alausa said the initiative underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to bridging the digital divide by providing teachers with the resources necessary to improve classroom delivery and learning outcomes.
“We know it’s unfortunate that teachers are not being paid enough, and we’re not fooling ourselves,” the Minister said. “Giving these teachers devices and expecting them to pay for data is foolhardy. It’s dead on arrival. That’s why we’re here today to create a path for them to access whatever they need without paying anything.”
Under the initiative, teachers will have free access to the federal government’s eLearn platform and other accredited digital learning resources through zero-rated data arrangements with partner telecommunications companies and internet service providers.
Dr. Alausa commended PLANE and other collaborating partners for their contributions, noting that the initiative highlights the impact of strategic partnerships in advancing national education goals.
In her remarks, the Registrar of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Dr. Ronke Soyombo, hailed the initiative as a milestone in promoting digital inclusion and teacher capacity development nationwide.
She noted that the provision of free and subsidised data will enable teachers to integrate technology more effectively into classroom instruction, improve continuous professional development, and enhance the overall quality of education.
“The provision of zero-rated, subsidised data bundles is not merely a technical solution, it is a strategic intervention that can accelerate digital inclusion, enhance teacher capacity, and improve learning outcomes nationwide,” Dr. Soyombo said.
As part of the event, Dr. Alausa inaugurated the Ministerial Implementation Committee on the Education Public-Private Partnership (ePPP) for Zero Data and Devices.
The committee, comprising representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), TRCN, telecommunications firms, and EdTech platforms, is tasked with finalising the cost of the pilot phase, compiling a verified list of participating teachers and schools, and submitting a final impact report to guide nationwide scale-up by July 2026.
