Share of the population using the Internet in Nigeria
Nigeria: Share of the population using the Internet was 41.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population using the Internet in Nigeria, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population using the internet in Nigeria is 41.2%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.9% on the previous year and up 96.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population using the internet in Nigeria peaked at 41.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1990.
That places Nigeria 168th out of 208 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of the population using the Internet in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.0% | — |
| 1996 | 0.0% | — |
| 1997 | 0.0% | +94.8% |
| 1998 | 0.0% | +46.5% |
| 1999 | 0.0% | +62.7% |
| 2000 | 0.1% | +56.3% |
| 2001 | 0.1% | +40.3% |
| 2002 | 0.3% | +256.5% |
| 2003 | 0.6% | +74.3% |
| 2004 | 1.3% | +130.3% |
| 2005 | 3.5% | +176.0% |
| 2006 | 5.5% | +56.2% |
| 2007 | 6.8% | +22.1% |
| 2008 | 8.0% | +18.2% |
| 2009 | 9.3% | +16.3% |
| 2010 | 11.5% | +23.7% |
| 2011 | 13.8% | +20.0% |
| 2012 | 16.1% | +16.7% |
| 2013 | 19.1% | +18.6% |
| 2014 | 21.0% | +9.9% |
| 2015 | 22.5% | +7.2% |
| 2016 | 24.1% | +7.2% |
| 2017 | 25.9% | +7.2% |
| 2018 | 27.7% | +7.2% |
| 2019 | 29.7% | +7.2% |
| 2020 | 31.9% | +7.2% |
| 2021 | 35.5% | +11.4% |
| 2022 | 39.1% | +10.2% |
| 2023 | 40.1% | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 41.2% | +2.9% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 41.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 55.8%, 74% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 41.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 34.5%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population using the Internet 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +256.5% | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| 2005 | +176.0% | 1.3% | 3.5% |
| 2004 | +130.3% | 0.6% | 1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 5 |
| 2000s | 3.5% | 0.1% | 9.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.2% | 11.5% | 29.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 37.6% | 31.9% | 41.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More science & technology data for Nigeria
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 70.76 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 0.7076 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0007 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 164.65 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 246.4 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -28.14 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate -26.63 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 9,799 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population using the internet in Nigeria?
- Share of the population using the internet in Nigeria was 41.2% in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population using the internet recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 41.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of the population using the internet recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1990.
- How does Nigeria rank for share of the population using the internet?
- Nigeria ranks 168th out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population using the internet rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 96.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population using the Internet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population who used the Internet in the last three months.