Nigeria’s smartphone ownership has risen to 75 per cent, up from 64 per cent in 2023, as mobile devices become increasingly central to how Nigerians access financial services, commerce, entertainment, education and transportation.
The figure is contained in the Nigeria Smartphone Study: A Nationwide Analysis of Smartphone Ownership and Digital Application Usage, conducted by KPMG in partnership with Orange Group Nigeria.
The study, based on responses from 13,251 people across 12 major Nigerian cities, highlights the growing role of smartphones in driving digital adoption and economic activity across the country.
According to the report, rising smartphone penetration is being driven by Nigeria’s large and youthful population, improving connectivity and increasing affordability of internet-enabled devices.
“The country’s large, youthful and increasingly entrepreneurial population continues to drive digital adoption, innovation and technology-enabled economic activity,” the report said.
KPMG said smartphones have moved beyond their traditional role as communication devices to become important tools for economic participation, enterprise and innovation.
The increase in smartphone ownership has coincided with a broader expansion in internet usage and data consumption.
Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), cited in the study, showed that Nigeria had 157 million internet subscribers as of May 2026, while monthly data consumption exceeded 1.5 million terabytes.
The figures underscore the growing scale of digital activity as more Nigerians use smartphones to access online platforms and services.
Financial services, telecommunications, commerce, entertainment, education and transportation were identified among the sectors being reshaped by the expansion of smartphone and digital application usage.
The trend is also creating opportunities for businesses to reach consumers through mobile platforms, while increasing demand for digital payments, e-commerce, online entertainment and other technology-enabled services.
Despite the rapid growth in smartphone ownership, KPMG said access to a smartphone does not necessarily translate into full participation in the digital economy.
More than a third of mobile subscribers were still using 2G networks as of May 2026, highlighting gaps in the quality and depth of connectivity.
“More than a third of mobile subscribers were still on 2G as of May 2026, highlighting the continuing disparity in the depth and quality of digital access,” said Lawrence Amadi, Partner and Head, Technology, Media & Telecommunications, KPMG Africa.
Infrastructure constraints, affordability, limited digital literacy and cybersecurity concerns also remain barriers to broader digital adoption, according to the report.
The continued dependence on older network technology means that rising smartphone ownership alone will not eliminate Nigeria’s digital-access divide.
Nigeria’s expanding smartphone market also exists alongside a substantial mobile internet usage gap.
