Students Reject Federal Govt’s Data Package, Demand Free Campus Wi-Fi

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.

He also urged the government to regulate the cost and quality of data services, insisting that Nigerians should receive reasonable value for the data they purchase.

‘We need reliable, cheap Wi-Fi for learning’

The NANS spokesman further called for the establishment of free, reliable and high-speed Wi-Fi infrastructure across universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other public tertiary institutions.

According to him, students should be able to access online libraries, academic journals, learning platforms, research materials and other educational services on campus at little or no cost.

David also proposed educational data zero-rating agreements among the government, telecommunications companies, and educational technology providers to ensure recognised academic platforms, digital libraries, and government educational portals are freely accessible or substantially subsidised.

He said, “Consequently, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) is opposed to the proposed 100 MB free data policy in its present form.

“Our opposition is not to the principle of supporting students with digital access; rather, we oppose an approach that is inadequate, unsustainable and incapable of addressing the problem’s true scale.”

The student body, therefore, called on the federal government to withdraw or fundamentally review the proposal and to engage student representatives and other stakeholders in developing a comprehensive National Student Digital Access Policy.

“Nigerian students do not need symbolic interventions; we need policies that solve problems,” the association said.

Also speaking on the issue, three students from the University of Lagos, the University of Ibadan, and Olabisi Onabanjo University, Kayode Ojo, Joshua Oyero, and Ronke Tasan, respectively, asked the government to embark on what they described as visible measures that would benefit the students instead of giving them a token.

‘‘I don’t trust this government. Recall that its officers have been transferring money to people we cannot even see. This issue of giving us free Wi-Fi may even go the same way. Let them do that in our schools where we will be able to access it and make use of it for our studies,’’ Tasan said.

Ojo and Oyero appealed to the government to make judicious use of the money in its care to uplift the entire country, saying the amount budgeted for the proposed free Wi-Fi could also be used to rehabilitate many schools in the country.

A political gift?

A student of Michael Okpara University, Chinonso Onokwuru, and Orilonise Emmanuel, who studies at the University of Benin, wondered why the government was suddenly interested in students’ welfare, saying the government could be doing so to get their votes in 2027.

‘‘It is an election period,’’ says Onokwuru, adding that ‘‘the idea is to deceive us in order to get our votes. We know what the government is doing,’’ he added.

Emmanuel also felt that the federal government should build more lecture halls for students and reduce school fees, rather than spend money that, he said, could end up not being accounted for.

‘Wi-Fi is not our problem’

But Ibrahim Amusa of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Saminu Mohammed of the University of Maiduguri called on the students to applaud the government for thinking of them.

‘‘But Wi-Fi isn’t our problem. Our problems are many, including poor hostels, a poor road network within the campus, insecurity in and around hostels, and being taught by unhappy lecturers and others,’’ Mohammed said.

Amusa asked the government to install Wi-Fi on university campuses so students can use it for their studies.

However, Foluke Aminu of the University of Ilorin was of the opinion that the free Wi-Fi would be of good use to students, even outside the campus.

She said, ‘‘We should appreciate what the government has proposed. We need it. If we don’t accept it, how do we benefit from our collective resources? I want to appeal to my fellow students to accept the token and take it as our own share of the national cake.’’

It’s a relief to students, but not enough – Lecturer

Reacting to the proposal, Ahmed Abdullahi, a software engineering lecturer at Baze University, Abuja, said the initiative could still provide some relief to students who struggle to afford internet data.

According to him, the free allocation could enable students to access school portals, download study materials, submit assignments and communicate through WhatsApp and email without incurring additional data costs.

He, however, admitted that 100 MB of data would not be sufficient for full online learning.

He said, “100 MB free daily helps students who can’t afford data. They can check school portals, download notes, submit assignments, and use WhatsApp and email without spending money.”

Abdullahi, however, noted that activities such as attending Zoom classes, watching educational videos on YouTube and conducting extensive online research would quickly exhaust the allocation.

It’s inadequate, could abet internet fraud – Parents

A parent, Mr Cletus Adaga, who also criticised the proposed allocation, said the government should consider the broader financial pressures facing families with children in tertiary institutions.

“100 MB is simply inadequate for a student in today’s digital environment. A student can exhaust that amount very quickly just by watching one educational video or downloading study materials.

“If the government genuinely wants to support students, it should provide free Wi-Fi on campuses or give them a much larger and sustainable data allowance.”

Another parent, Dr Ibrahim Alumankudi, warned the government not to use its resources to encourage Yahoo or other fraudulent activities on campus, adding that free campus Wi-Fi could increase the number of students in higher institutions who, he alleged, engage in internet crime.

EXPLAINER

The Proposal

The Federal Government plans to give tertiary students 100MB of free mobile data daily from October 1, 2026, to support digital learning.

Students Kick

Many students say 100MB is grossly inadequate for research, online lectures, assignments, educational video,s and accessing digital learning platforms.

What They Want

Students and NANS want the government to provide free, reliable, high-speed Wi-Fi across tertiary institutions instead of a limited daily data allocation.

Mixed Reactions

While some students welcome the initiative as relief, others say the government should address poor hostels, infrastructure, insecurity, school fees, and inadequate learning facilities.

Political Concerns

Some students suspect the initiative may be politically motivated ahead of the 2027 elections, while others argue that any support should be welcomed.