Google Unveils 12-Month Free AI Offer for Nigerian Students

Google has launched a new initiative offering eligible students in Nigerian tertiary institutions free access to its Google AI Plus service for 12 months.

The programme, known as the Gemini Student Offer, is available to students aged 18 and above enrolled in accredited universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across Nigeria.

The subscription is valued at ₦92,400 per student and is designed to give students access to advanced artificial intelligence tools for learning, research and skills development.

Students who benefited from the programme during the previous academic year are also eligible to renew their subscriptions for another year after completing the required verification of their student status.

The Google AI Plus package provides access to enhanced features through the Gemini app, including higher usage limits, Gemini Omni, Gemini Live for real-time voice conversations and Deep Research for academic projects.

Students will also have access to custom practice quizzes, unlimited file uploads and 400GB of cloud storage.

Nigeria is among 27 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa where Google has introduced the initiative.

Speaking on the programme, Google’s Director for West and East Africa, Olumide Balogun, said the company wanted to make AI-powered education more accessible by reducing financial barriers facing students.

He described artificial intelligence as a major technological shift and said Nigeria’s young population was well positioned to benefit from the technology.

Balogun said the free subscription would help Nigerian students tackle complex subjects, develop relevant digital skills and improve their competitiveness in the global economy.

Google also stressed that the initiative was designed to support learning rather than facilitate academic dishonesty.

The company said Gemini’s Guided Learning mode functions more like a tutor by providing hints, explanations and guiding questions instead of simply supplying answers.

Google said a Google DeepMind study involving 1,763 students in West African schools found that students using Guided Learning recorded learning gains equivalent to between 1.2 and 1.7 years over eight weeks.

According to the company, more than 90 per cent of interactions during the study focused on understanding concepts, while only two per cent resulted in direct solutions.

Students can also use Gemini Study Notebooks to transform lecture notes and course materials into quizzes and lesson plans.

Other features include Gemini Live, Deep Research, interactive 3D visualisations and Google Lens Homework Helper for equations and diagrams.

Google said eligible students can verify their enrolment through SheerID and claim the 12-month subscription through its student offer portal.