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Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Nigeria

Nigeria: Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people was 70.76 per 100 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
70.76 per 100 people
Change on year
down 28.1%
World rank
178th
of 212 countries
All-time high
99.59 per 100 people
in 2022
All-time low
0 per 100 people
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024

Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Nigeria, 1980–2024

0204060801001980200220241980: 0 per 100 people1981: 0 per 100 people1982: 0 per 100 people1983: 0 per 100 people1984: 0 per 100 people1985: 0 per 100 people1986: 0 per 100 people1987: 0 per 100 people1988: 0 per 100 people1989: 0 per 100 people1990: 0 per 100 people1991: 0 per 100 people1992: 0 per 100 people1993: 0.009 per 100 people1994: 0.012 per 100 people1995: 0.012 per 100 people1996: 0.013 per 100 people1997: 0.013 per 100 people1998: 0.017 per 100 people1999: 0.021 per 100 people2000: 0.024 per 100 people2001: 0.205 per 100 people2002: 1.2 per 100 people2003: 2.3 per 100 people2004: 6.5 per 100 people2005: 12.8 per 100 people2006: 21.7 per 100 people2007: 26.4 per 100 people2008: 40 per 100 people2009: 46 per 100 people2010: 52.4 per 100 people2011: 55.5 per 100 people2012: 64 per 100 people2013: 70.3 per 100 people2014: 74.8 per 100 people2015: 79.1 per 100 people2016: 79 per 100 people2017: 72.4 per 100 people2018: 84.3 per 100 people2019: 88.1 per 100 people2020: 95.4 per 100 people2021: 89.3 per 100 people2022: 99.6 per 100 people2023: 98.5 per 100 people2024: 70.8 per 100 people

Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 100 people.

Analysis

In 2024, mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Nigeria stood at 70.76 per 100 people.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 28.1% on the previous year and down 5.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Nigeria peaked at 99.59 per 100 people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1980.

Nigeria ranks 178th of 212 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Nigeria, year by year

Year per 100 people Change
1980 0 per 100 people —
1981 0 per 100 people —
1982 0 per 100 people —
1983 0 per 100 people —
1984 0 per 100 people —
1985 0 per 100 people —
1986 0 per 100 people —
1987 0 per 100 people —
1988 0 per 100 people —
1989 0 per 100 people —
1990 0 per 100 people —
1991 0 per 100 people —
1992 0 per 100 people —
1993 0.0088 per 100 people —
1994 0.0121 per 100 people +37.9%
1995 0.012 per 100 people -1.0%
1996 0.0126 per 100 people +5.0%
1997 0.0132 per 100 people +4.5%
1998 0.0171 per 100 people +30.0%
1999 0.0209 per 100 people +21.9%
2000 0.0237 per 100 people +13.7%
2001 0.2052 per 100 people +764.4%
2002 1.18 per 100 people +472.9%
2003 2.3 per 100 people +95.3%
2004 6.48 per 100 people +182.5%
2005 12.82 per 100 people +97.6%
2006 21.68 per 100 people +69.2%
2007 26.36 per 100 people +21.6%
2008 39.97 per 100 people +51.6%
2009 45.98 per 100 people +15.1%
2010 52.39 per 100 people +13.9%
2011 55.53 per 100 people +6.0%
2012 64.01 per 100 people +15.3%
2013 70.28 per 100 people +9.8%
2014 74.75 per 100 people +6.4%
2015 79.1 per 100 people +5.8%
2016 78.97 per 100 people -0.2%
2017 72.37 per 100 people -8.4%
2018 84.28 per 100 people +16.5%
2019 88.12 per 100 people +4.5%
2020 95.44 per 100 people +8.3%
2021 89.29 per 100 people -6.4%
2022 99.59 per 100 people +11.5%
2023 98.48 per 100 people -1.1%
2024 70.76 per 100 people -28.1%

Nigeria compared with similar countries

  • Nigeria's 70.76 per 100 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 97.13 per 100 people, 73% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
  • Nigeria's 70.76 per 100 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 93.72 per 100 people, 76% of the median. (48 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2001 +764.4% 0.0237 per 100 people 0.2052 per 100 people
2002 +472.9% 0.2052 per 100 people 1.18 per 100 people
2004 +182.5% 2.3 per 100 people 6.48 per 100 people
2005 +97.6% 6.48 per 100 people 12.82 per 100 people

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 0 per 100 people 0 per 100 people 0 per 100 people 10
1990s 0.0097 per 100 people 0 per 100 people 0.0209 per 100 people 10
2000s 15.7 per 100 people 0.0237 per 100 people 45.98 per 100 people 10
2010s 71.98 per 100 people 52.39 per 100 people 88.12 per 100 people 10
2020s 90.71 per 100 people 70.76 per 100 people 99.59 per 100 people 5

Countries ranked near Nigeria

  1. 175 Syria 71.22 per 100 people compare
  2. 176 Venezuela 71.01 per 100 people compare
  3. 177 Honduras 70.94 per 100 people compare
  4. 179 Lesotho 70.33 per 100 people compare
  5. 180 Sudan 70.21 per 100 people compare
  6. 181 Angola 69.7 per 100 people compare

See the full ranking of 212 places →

More science & technology data for Nigeria

All data for Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Nigeria?
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Nigeria was 70.76 per 100 people in 2024, according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 99.59 per 100 people in 2022.
What is the lowest mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1980.
How does Nigeria rank for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people?
Nigeria ranks 178th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
Is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people rising or falling in Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Nigeria data come from?
The figures come from International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/mobile-cellular-subscriptions-per-100-people-2/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people
Unit
per 100 people
Source
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
212 places, 8,985 data points, 1980–2024
Last refreshed

This number can get over 100 when the average person has more than one subscription to a mobile service.