Lecturers, parents say 100MB inadequate
BY HENRY TYOHEMBA AND GABI HIBBATULLAH, Abuja
The federal government’s plan to provide 100 Megabytes (MB) of free data to students in tertiary institutions has drawn criticism from some students, who say they would rather have free and reliable Wi-Fi on their campuses.
The students argue that 100 MB data would do little to meet their growing academic and research needs, especially as lectures, assignments, research materials, and other educational resources increasingly depend on internet access.
They want the government to channel the resources earmarked for the initiative into building functional Wi-Fi infrastructure across tertiary institutions, thereby providing students with more sustainable internet access.
The initiative, reportedly involving substantial government expenditure, is intended to expand students’ digital access and enable them to participate more effectively in online learning and academic activities.
However, some students who reacted to the plan questioned the usefulness of giving each student only 100 MB of data, saying the allocation could be exhausted quickly and would leave them facing the same challenge of expensive internet access.
Rather than accept what they described as a temporary data intervention, the students called on the federal government to invest in campus-wide internet connectivity, saying, “We prefer Wi-Fi” because it would provide continuous access for students and potentially benefit the wider academic community.
In its reaction to the proposal, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) described the allocation as grossly inadequate and instead called for free and reliable Wi-Fi services in tertiary institutions.
The federal government had proposed providing Nigerian students with 100 MB of free mobile data daily starting 1 October 2026, as part of efforts to reduce the cost of internet access and improve students’ ability to participate in digital learning.
Under the proposed arrangement, students are expected to receive a free daily data allocation, providing them with a basic amount of internet access.
However, the proposal has raised concerns among students and education stakeholders about whether 100 MB per day would be sufficient to achieve the government’s objective.
A misplaced priority – NANS
In an interview with LEADERSHIP Weekend, NANS said the initiative, though well-intentioned, would have a limited impact due to rising data costs and the volume of data consumed by modern online learning platforms.
Speaking on behalf of the association, Comrade Obidah David, national public relations officer of NANS, said that rather than implement a short-term intervention, the government should introduce sustainable policies to guarantee affordable and reliable internet access for students.
“The federal government’s proposed plan to provide Nigerian students with 100 MB of free data from 1 October 2026 is, in our considered view, a misplaced priority and falls short of addressing the real challenges confronting students across the country,” he said.
The student body’s spokesman acknowledged the government’s intention to support digital education but said 100 MB of mobile data can hardly sustain meaningful academic research, online learning or access to educational materials.
“While we acknowledge the intention to support students’ access to digital resources, 100 MB of data is grossly inadequate in today’s digital learning environment,” he said.
David called for the introduction of a National Student Data Tariff through collaboration between the government and telecommunications operators, saying verified students should have access to substantially larger data allocations at reduced rates.
