Mobile cellular subscriptions in Nigeria
Nigeria: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 70.76 per 100 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Nigeria, 1960–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 70.76 per 100 people for mobile cellular subscriptions in 2024.
The figure is down 28.1% on the previous year and down 5.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in Nigeria peaked at 99.59 per 100 people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1960.
Nigeria ranks 178th of 214 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 cellular subscriptions in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | per 100 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1965 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1970 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1975 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1976 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1977 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1978 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1979 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 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 cellular subscriptions 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 6 |
| 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
More infrastructure data for Nigeria
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 164.65 million (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 102,714 (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 0.0441 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.0004 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -8.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 102,714 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 0.7076 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0007 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 164.65 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions in Nigeria?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions in Nigeria was 70.76 per 100 people in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 99.59 per 100 people in 2022.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1960.
- How does Nigeria rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- Nigeria ranks 178th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions 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 World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 53 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Mobile cellular telephone subscriptions are subscriptions to a public mobile telephone service that provide access to the PSTN using cellular technology. The indicator includes (and is split into) the number of postpaid subscriptions, and the number of active prepaid accounts (i.e. that have been used during the last three months). The indicator applies to all mobile cellular subscriptions that offer voice communications. It excludes subscriptions via data cards or USB modems, subscriptions to public mobile data services, private trunked mobile radio, telepoint, radio paging and telemetry services.