Google has announced a 12-month free Google AI Plus subscription for eligible students in Nigerian higher institutions as part of efforts to make artificial intelligence tools more accessible to young people.
Olumide Balogun, Google’s Director for West and East Africa, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, saying the initiative was designed to reduce financial barriers to AI adoption among Nigerian students.
Balogun said the offer, valued at N92,400 per student, was open to students aged 18 and above enrolled in accredited universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the country.
He added that students who benefited from the offer during the previous academic year could renew their subscriptions for another 12 months after re-verifying their student status.
According to Google, the subscription gives students enhanced access to Gemini, Gemini Live, Deep Research, Guided Learning and other AI-powered learning tools.
The package also includes 400GB of cloud storage, unlimited file uploads and customised practice quizzes designed to support students in their academic work.
“AI is the defining technological shift of our generation, and for Nigeria, it is an immediate leapfrog opportunity.
“The initiative will help students master complex subjects, develop digital skills and compete more confidently in the global economy,” Balogun said.
He explained that the Guided Learning feature was designed to support students through hints and guiding questions rather than simply providing answers.
Balogun cited a Google DeepMind study involving 1,763 West African students, which found significant learning progress among students who used the Guided Learning feature.
According to the study, more than 90 percent of interactions focused on helping students understand concepts, while Gemini provided direct solutions in only two per cent of cases.
He added that teachers could use Google Classroom to restrict Gemini to Guided Learning mode, allowing students to receive AI assistance while discouraging shortcuts in their academic work.
Balogun also said students’ and classroom data would not be used to train Google’s artificial intelligence models.
“The student offer is now available in Nigeria and 26 other countries across Sub-Saharan Africa.
“Eligible students can verify their enrolment through SheerID and claim the offer through Google’s student AI offer page,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Google AI Plus is a personal subscription tier managed through Google One.
The subscription expands users’ access to Google’s artificial intelligence tools, advanced Gemini models, creative applications and cloud storage.
source: NAN
