By Simpson Global Media News Desk
Smartphone ownership in Nigeria has risen to 75 per cent, up from 64 per cent in 2023, as mobile devices become increasingly central to how Nigerians communicate, move money, work, learn, shop and access digital services.
The finding is contained in the latest Nigeria Smartphone Study, a nationwide analysis of smartphone ownership and digital application usage conducted by KPMG in collaboration with Orange Group.
The study is based on responses from 13,251 people across 12 major Nigerian cities and examines not only whether Nigerians own smartphones, but also how they use applications installed on those devices.
The research provides a current picture of a technology market that is becoming increasingly mobile.
WhatsApp was installed on 95 per cent of smartphones surveyed, followed by Facebook at 87 per cent and TikTok at 70 per cent, according to findings reported from the study.
In financial technology, OPay was present on 69 per cent of smartphones covered by the survey, while PalmPay appeared on 29 per cent. The research also recorded substantial presence for applications operated by conventional banks.
The findings suggest that the Nigerian smartphone is increasingly functioning as a multi-purpose digital platform rather than simply a communication device.
At the same time, the study points to an important qualification: increased smartphone ownership does not mean that every Nigerian has the same quality of digital access.
KPMG said more than one-third of mobile subscribers were still using 2G as of May 2026, while affordability, infrastructure limitations, digital literacy and cybersecurity remain barriers to more inclusive digital participation.
Smartphone ownership reaches 75 per cent
The rise from 64 per cent smartphone ownership in 2023 to 75 per cent in the latest study represents a significant change in the devices Nigerians use to access digital services.
The finding comes at a time when internet use in Nigeria is also expanding.
Nigerian Communications Commission data show that active mobile internet subscriptions increased from 154.3 million in April 2026 to about 157 million in May.
During the same period, data consumption reached about 1.5 million terabytes, according to NCC industry statistics and reporting based on the regulator's data.
The combination of more smartphones and heavier internet use creates a larger addressable market for digital businesses.
It also increases pressure on telecommunications operators to maintain adequate network capacity.
The growth means more people are using mobile devices for activities that previously depended on physical locations, desktop computers or feature phones.
Financial transactions are one of the clearest examples.
A customer can now transfer money, pay a bill, purchase airtime, receive a payment, manage a business account or communicate with a financial institution from the same device.
The same smartphone can be used to attend an online class, watch a video, advertise a product, access government information or operate a small business.
This convergence is one reason the smartphone has become central to Nigeria's digital economy.
The survey covers 12 Nigerian cities
The KPMG-Orange study drew responses from 13,251 people across 12 major Nigerian cities.
The sample includes major commercial and population centres such as Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, Benin City and Kaduna.
The study therefore provides insight into smartphone behaviour across several urban markets.
However, the results should be interpreted within the study's methodology.
A survey of 13,251 respondents in 12 cities provides substantial information about urban smartphone use, but it should not automatically be treated as a direct measurement of every rural community in Nigeria.
The country's digital experience varies considerably depending on location, income, network availability, device affordability and electricity access.
KPMG itself acknowledges that infrastructure and affordability continue to shape the depth of digital participation.
The findings are therefore most useful as a picture of the changing Nigerian smartphone market and application ecosystem rather than as proof that all Nigerians have the same level of digital access.
Smartphones are becoming financial tools
One of the strongest findings concerns the presence of financial applications on smartphones.
OPay was installed on 69 per cent of the smartphones surveyed, according to reports on the study, while PalmPay recorded 29 per cent.
Access Bank appeared on 16 per cent of surveyed smartphones and Moniepoint on 14 per cent.
UBA and GTBank each recorded 11 per cent, while FirstBank had 10 per cent, Zenith Bank nine per cent and Kuda eight per cent. PayPal appeared on seven per cent.
These figures should be understood correctly.
A finding that an application is installed on a certain percentage of surveyed smartphones does not mean that the same percentage of all Nigerians actively uses the application, nor does it represent the company's share of the banking market.
It describes application presence among the smartphones covered by the study.
Even with that qualification, the data demonstrate the importance of mobile applications in the country's financial technology ecosystem.
The smartphone has become a point of competition between traditional financial institutions and technology-led financial platforms.
Customers can access services from banks, fintech companies and other digital providers from the same device.
That creates pressure on providers to improve application performance, reliability, security and user experience.
Fintech and traditional banks share the same screen
The application data also show how the distinction between traditional banking and fintech is increasingly being blurred at the consumer level.
A smartphone user may have several financial applications installed simultaneously.
One app may be used for transfers.
Another may be used for savings.
A bank application may be used for a salary account.
A separate platform may be used by a small business to receive payments.
This means competition is increasingly taking place at the application level.
The physical location of a bank branch is less important for many routine transactions than it was in the past.
Customers can interact with financial services from homes, workplaces, markets or while travelling.
For technology companies, this creates opportunities to develop services around payments, lending, savings, commerce, insurance and other areas.
For traditional banks, it creates a requirement to continue investing in digital channels.
The study's findings on application penetration therefore provide a window into how smartphones are changing financial behaviour.
WhatsApp remains the dominant communication platform
The study found WhatsApp installed on 95 per cent of smartphones surveyed.
Facebook followed at 87 per cent and TikTok at 70 per cent.
The figures show the continued importance of social and messaging platforms in Nigerian smartphone use.
WhatsApp has evolved beyond person-to-person communication.
Businesses use it to communicate with customers, advertise products, answer enquiries and receive orders.
Small enterprises that do not have dedicated websites can use messaging platforms as their primary digital storefront.
A customer may discover a product on social media, contact the seller through WhatsApp, receive payment instructions and arrange delivery without leaving the mobile environment.
This has lowered some of the barriers to digital participation for small businesses.
At the same time, it has created new challenges involving fraud, identity verification, privacy and the protection of customers' personal information.
TikTok's growing role in the digital ecosystem
The 70 per cent presence recorded for TikTok reflects the expanding role of short-form video in Nigeria's digital environment.
TikTok is used for entertainment, but its influence extends into education, marketing, news distribution and content creation.
Young Nigerians have increasingly used short-form video to build audiences around music, comedy, fashion, business, education and lifestyle content.
For entrepreneurs, social platforms can provide a low-cost way to reach potential customers.
For creators, they can provide access to audiences that traditional media might not reach as easily.
For advertisers, they provide additional channels through which campaigns can be targeted.
The growth of video use also has implications for telecommunications infrastructure.
Video is more data-intensive than many text-based activities.
As smartphone users increasingly watch and upload video, demand for network capacity rises.
That contributes to the broader increase in Nigeria's internet data consumption.
Xender and the persistence of practical applications
The study also identified Xender as the most widely present application in another category, with a 77 per cent presence among smartphones surveyed.
Google Drive recorded 31 per cent.
The prominence of file-sharing applications highlights a practical side of smartphone use.
Not all digital activity is about entertainment or social networking.
People use smartphones to move documents, photographs, videos and other files between devices.
Students can share academic materials.
Workers can exchange documents.
Small businesses can send product images and invoices.
Families can transfer photographs and videos.
This illustrates the breadth of activities being absorbed into mobile technology.
The smartphone is simultaneously a communication device, media player, camera, file-storage gateway, financial terminal and work tool.
Artificial intelligence enters the smartphone conversation
The study also highlighted growing awareness and use of artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT and Google Assistant.
That development adds another layer to the evolution of smartphone use.
Artificial intelligence services can be accessed directly from mobile devices, allowing users to generate text, search for information, translate material, learn concepts, draft documents and perform other tasks.
For students and workers, AI applications can become productivity tools.
For entrepreneurs, they can assist with marketing, customer communication, research and content creation.
For developers, the increasing presence of AI-enabled applications creates a growing market for mobile services that integrate language models and other intelligent technologies.
KPMG's own description of the smartphone ecosystem notes that smartphones generate large amounts of information about users' activities and behaviour and can function as important sources of data for emerging AI systems.
That development also introduces questions about privacy and responsible data use.
As more personal and professional activities move through smartphones, the security of the device and applications installed on it becomes increasingly important.
Cybersecurity becomes more important
The expansion of smartphone ownership creates both opportunities and risks.
A smartphone that can access bank accounts, payment platforms, work documents, private conversations and social media accounts also contains information that criminals may attempt to exploit.
KPMG specifically identifies cybersecurity as one of the challenges that will influence Nigeria's digital development.
Cybersecurity risks can include phishing, fraudulent applications, account takeover, identity theft, social engineering and malicious links.
The more services a person manages from a single device, the greater the potential impact if that device or an associated account is compromised.
This places responsibility on several groups.
Users need basic digital-security awareness.
Financial institutions and fintech companies need strong authentication and fraud-monitoring systems.
Telecommunications operators need secure networks.
Application developers need to protect user information.
Government agencies need effective regulatory and enforcement mechanisms.
The expansion of smartphone use therefore needs to be accompanied by expansion of digital safety awareness.
The 2G divide remains
The headline figure of 75 per cent smartphone ownership can obscure another part of the story.
KPMG said more than one-third of mobile subscribers were still on 2G as of May 2026.
That means device ownership and network capability do not always move at the same speed.
A consumer may own a smartphone but still experience limitations if the available network is slow, unreliable or unavailable.
A smartphone's capabilities are also affected by the cost of data.
If data is expensive relative to income, users may restrict video, online learning, cloud services or other data-intensive activities.
The digital divide is therefore not simply about whether a person owns a smartphone.
It includes whether the person can afford a suitable device, whether reliable connectivity is available, whether data is affordable and whether the user has the skills required to make productive use of the technology.
Network capacity faces growing pressure
Nigeria's increasing data consumption is already placing greater demands on telecommunications infrastructure.
NCC data show active mobile internet subscriptions reaching roughly 157 million in May 2026.
At the same time, monthly data consumption reached a record 1.5 million terabytes.
NCC's Q1 2026 reporting also highlighted network-capacity limitations and examined how congestion affects quality of service, particularly during periods of high demand.
The commission's report includes analysis of urban and rural performance, device adoption, 4G and 5G usage and differences in network experience across regions.
This matters because smartphone adoption can increase demand faster than networks can expand.
A user upgrading from a basic phone to a smartphone may consume substantially more data.
Video calls, streaming, social media, cloud storage and AI services can all increase traffic.
Operators consequently need to expand capacity through additional spectrum, fibre, transmission infrastructure, base stations and related investments.
4G and 5G adoption continues
The transition from older mobile technologies to faster networks is another important feature of Nigeria's technology market.
NCC data for May 2026 showed 4G accounting for 54.3 per cent of internet connections, while 5G accounted for 4.49 per cent.
3G had declined to about 5.1 per cent.
The figures indicate a continuing shift toward faster networks, although the transition is not uniform.
The presence of more 4G and 5G-capable smartphones creates opportunities for applications that require higher speeds and lower latency.
These include video conferencing, high-quality streaming, cloud-based services, advanced gaming and some emerging AI applications.
But device capability alone is not sufficient.
A user needs compatible network coverage and adequate capacity to benefit from those technologies.
This is why the relationship between smartphone adoption and telecom infrastructure is becoming increasingly important.
The Information and Communication sector
The smartphone expansion is taking place within a wider technology economy that has become a significant component of Nigeria's national output.
KPMG said the Information and Communication sector accounted for 11.31 per cent of Nigeria's real GDP in the first quarter of 2026.
That figure illustrates the importance of digital infrastructure and communications beyond the technology industry itself.
Telecommunications networks support banking.
They support commerce.
They support transportation.
They support media and entertainment.
They support remote work and education.
They also support government services and communication between public institutions and citizens.
The more the economy depends on digital channels, the more important network reliability becomes.
A disruption to connectivity can therefore have consequences beyond individual inconvenience.
Businesses may lose transactions.
Online workers may lose productive hours.
Customers may be unable to make payments.
Digital services may become temporarily inaccessible.
Fibre infrastructure becomes strategic
As data consumption rises, telecommunications companies increasingly depend on fibre-optic networks to carry traffic.
Nigeria has faced repeated fibre cuts associated with road construction, excavation and other civil works.
The NCC said more than 5,000 fibre-optic cuts were recorded in the first six months of 2026, according to reporting on remarks by Executive Vice Chairman Aminu Maida.
Fibre cuts can disrupt telecommunications services even when the underlying mobile towers are functioning.
This makes protection of fibre infrastructure an increasingly important technology and infrastructure issue.
The expansion of smartphone ownership therefore has implications for roads, construction, urban planning and infrastructure regulation.
Nigeria's digital economy depends not only on smartphones and applications but also on the physical infrastructure beneath them.
Affordability remains a central issue
The rise to 75 per cent smartphone ownership is significant, but the remaining 25 per cent also matters.
People who do not own smartphones may face barriers related to price, income, availability or preference.
For lower-income households, purchasing a smartphone can compete with other household expenses.
The cost of replacing a damaged or obsolete device can also be significant.
Even after purchasing a smartphone, users need money for data and electricity.
This means that technology policy cannot focus only on increasing device ownership.
Affordability must be considered throughout the digital ecosystem.
Affordable smartphones, competitive data prices, reliable electricity and accessible digital services can all influence whether people are able to participate fully.
Rural connectivity remains a challenge
Urban smartphone adoption can grow quickly while rural communities continue to face connectivity gaps.
KPMG's study acknowledges differences in the depth and quality of digital access.
The NCC's Q1 2026 report similarly examines urban-rural differences in mobile network performance.
For rural residents, connectivity can be particularly important for agriculture, commerce, education and access to government services.
A farmer may use a smartphone to check prices, communicate with buyers or access weather information.
A student can use online resources where broadband is available.
A small business owner can communicate with customers outside the immediate community.
But these benefits depend on reliable network coverage.
The growth of smartphone ownership therefore needs to be matched by continued expansion of rural connectivity.
Digital literacy matters
Owning a smartphone does not automatically mean that the user can take advantage of its full capabilities.
Digital literacy determines how effectively people search for information, protect accounts, identify scams, use online services and evaluate digital content.
KPMG identified gaps in digital literacy as one of the barriers that could affect the inclusiveness of Nigeria's digital development.
This makes education an important part of technology policy.
Digital-literacy programmes can help users understand privacy settings, passwords, two-factor authentication, online payments and basic cybersecurity.
They can also help people move from passive consumption to productive use of technology.
For example, a person who initially uses a smartphone primarily for social media may eventually use it for online learning, business management or professional development.
Opportunities for Nigerian businesses
The growing smartphone market provides a large potential customer base for Nigerian technology companies.
Businesses can build applications around commerce, financial services, logistics, education, healthcare, entertainment and productivity.
Small businesses can use existing platforms rather than building expensive technology infrastructure from scratch.
A retailer can advertise through social media.
A restaurant can accept orders through messaging applications.
A consultant can meet clients through video calls.
A farmer can communicate with buyers through mobile services.
This lowers some barriers to entrepreneurship.
At the same time, competition is likely to become stronger as more businesses recognise the importance of mobile platforms.
The quality of an application's user experience can become an important factor in retaining customers.
Implications for banks and fintechs
The data also have consequences for financial institutions.
As smartphone ownership expands, the number of customers who can potentially interact with financial services digitally also increases.
Banks and fintech companies can therefore reach customers without relying exclusively on physical branches.
But the same trend increases competition.
A customer can install several financial applications and switch between them.
Providers must therefore compete around reliability, security, transaction speed, functionality and customer support.
The KPMG findings on application presence illustrate the scale of this mobile competition.
The smartphone has become one of the main arenas in which financial-service providers interact with consumers.
Implications for app developers
For Nigerian developers, the expanding smartphone market creates opportunities but also demands attention to local conditions.
Applications need to work reliably on different devices.
They need to accommodate varying network speeds.
They need to minimise unnecessary data consumption where possible.
They also need strong security.
An application designed for a market in which many users have unlimited high-speed connectivity may not work as effectively for Nigerian users facing data-cost or network limitations.
Local optimisation can therefore become an important competitive advantage.
Developers who understand how Nigerians actually use smartphones can design services that fit local behaviour rather than simply adapting products built for other markets.
What the data mean for government
The findings also provide information for policymakers.
Government agencies responsible for digital infrastructure, telecommunications, financial technology and cybersecurity need reliable information about how citizens use technology.
The growth in smartphone ownership can support digital-government initiatives.
More citizens can potentially access government information and services through mobile devices.
But government platforms must also consider citizens who remain on basic phones or have limited internet access.
A fully digital service that excludes people without smartphones can create a new form of inequality.
Digital transformation therefore needs to be accompanied by inclusion measures.
The next phase of mobile technology
Nigeria's smartphone market is entering a phase in which ownership is no longer the only important measure.
The next questions concern what people do with their devices, how reliably they can connect, how much digital activity they can afford and whether they can do so safely.
The KPMG study is particularly relevant because it examines application usage alongside ownership.
Its findings show that smartphones are already deeply integrated into communication, social media and financial services.
The increasing presence of AI tools suggests another phase is emerging in which smartphones become gateways to more advanced forms of digital productivity.
That transition will require stronger networks, affordable data, better digital literacy and improved cybersecurity.
A mobile-first economy takes shape
The rise to 75 per cent smartphone ownership reflects a broader transformation in Nigeria's digital economy.
A smartphone is increasingly the first device through which many Nigerians encounter online services.
The same handset can serve as a bank branch, marketplace, classroom, office, entertainment centre and communication platform.
The scale of this transformation is visible in the growth of internet subscriptions and data consumption.
NCC data show 157 million mobile internet subscriptions in May 2026 and record monthly data consumption of about 1.5 million terabytes.
But the figures also reveal the work that remains.
More than one-third of mobile subscribers were still on 2G in May, according to KPMG's report.
Infrastructure limitations remain.
Affordability remains important.
Digital-literacy gaps remain.
Cybersecurity risks continue to grow alongside digital adoption.
The challenge is therefore not simply to put more smartphones into people's hands.
It is to build an environment in which those smartphones can be used productively, affordably and securely.
What happens next
The next phase of Nigeria's smartphone growth is likely to be shaped by three connected developments: device adoption, network expansion and application innovation.
As more Nigerians acquire smartphones, demand for data and digital services will continue to influence telecommunications investment.
As networks improve, developers will have greater opportunities to build services requiring faster connections.
As AI becomes more accessible through mobile applications, smartphones may take on even more functions in education, business and professional work.
At the same time, policymakers and technology companies will need to address the digital divide.
The 25 per cent of Nigerians outside the latest smartphone-ownership figure should not be viewed simply as an untapped market.
They represent citizens who may face barriers that need to be understood and addressed.
Similarly, smartphone owners using slower networks are not equivalent to users with reliable high-speed access.
Digital inclusion is therefore a question of quality as well as quantity.
From ownership to meaningful use
Nigeria's smartphone story is moving beyond the question of how many people own internet-enabled devices.
The latest KPMG-Orange study shows that smartphone ownership reached 75 per cent in the latest survey, up from 64 per cent in 2023.
It also shows the central role of mobile applications, with WhatsApp, Facebook and TikTok widely present and financial applications increasingly embedded in everyday digital behaviour.
The wider telecommunications data point in the same direction.
Internet subscriptions have continued to rise, while data consumption has reached record levels.
The result is a technology ecosystem in which smartphones are increasingly connected to nearly every aspect of economic and social activity.
The opportunity is substantial.
But so are the requirements.
Nigeria will need continued investment in telecommunications infrastructure, fibre networks, spectrum and rural coverage.
Consumers need affordable devices and data.
Businesses need secure and reliable digital platforms.
Users need stronger digital-literacy and cybersecurity skills.
And policymakers need to ensure that the transition does not leave significant groups of Nigerians behind.
The latest smartphone figures therefore represent more than a change in consumer technology.
They provide another indication of how Nigeria's economy and society are becoming increasingly digital.
The smartphone is no longer simply a device for making calls or sending messages.
For millions of Nigerians, it is a gateway to money, work, commerce, education, entertainment, information and increasingly artificial intelligence.
The central technology question for the country now is not merely how quickly smartphone ownership can grow.
It is how effectively Nigeria can turn that growing ownership into broad, secure and affordable digital participation.
By Simpson Global Media News Desk
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