Smartphone Ownership Reaches 75% in Nigeria, but 2G and Cost Barriers Persist

A KPMG and Orange Group Nigeria study says smartphone ownership in Nigeria rose from 64% in 2023 to 75% in 2025. The survey covered 13,251 people across 12 major cities. The report links the increase to a young population, improving connectivity and more affordable devices. Smartphones are increasingly used for banking, shopping, education, entertainment, transport and running small businesses. Internet subscriptions reached 157 million in May 2026, with monthly data use exceeding 1.5 million terabytes. However, the report says more than one-third of mobile subscribers were still on 2G networks, while affordability, weak infrastructure, limited digital skills and cybersecurity concerns continue to restrict access. It also notes that about 140 million Nigerians live in areas with mobile broadband coverage but do not use mobile internet, showing that device ownership does not always translate into meaningful digital access.

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