Iran vs Nigeria: Mobile phone subscriptions
Iran
159.39 million
in 2024
Nigeria
164.65 million
in 2024
Iran rank
11th
Nigeria rank
10th
Mobile phone subscriptions over time
- Iran
- Nigeria
How they compare
Nigeria currently reports 164.65 million against 159.39 million in Iran, a difference of 5.26 million.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 45 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Nigeria ahead.
Iran ranks 11th and Nigeria ranks 10th of 212 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Iran averaged higher in 1 and Nigeria in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iran | Nigeria | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1990s | 120,446 | 10,885 | 109,561 | Iran |
| 2000s | 16.31 million | 24.30 million | 7.99 million | Nigeria |
| 2010s | 75.10 million | 136.89 million | 61.79 million | Nigeria |
| 2020s | 143.85 million | 202.13 million | 58.28 million | Nigeria |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher mobile phone subscriptions, Iran or Nigeria?
- Nigeria, at 164.65 million against 159.39 million in Iran as of 2024.
- What is the difference in mobile phone subscriptions between Iran and Nigeria?
- 5.26 million, with Nigeria ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and Nigeria?
- 45 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2024.
- How do Iran and Nigeria rank globally for mobile phone subscriptions?
- Iran ranks 11th and Nigeria ranks 10th of 212 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Mobile phone subscriptions. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.