Mobile cellular subscriptions in Nigeria
Nigeria: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 164.65 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Nigeria, 1960–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Analysis
In 2024, mobile cellular subscriptions in Nigeria stood at 164.65 million.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 26.6% on the previous year and up 18.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in Nigeria peaked at 224.41 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1960.
That places Nigeria 10th out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
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 | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0 | — |
| 1965 | 0 | — |
| 1970 | 0 | — |
| 1975 | 0 | — |
| 1976 | 0 | — |
| 1977 | 0 | — |
| 1978 | 0 | — |
| 1979 | 0 | — |
| 1980 | 0 | — |
| 1981 | 0 | — |
| 1982 | 0 | — |
| 1983 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 0 | — |
| 1985 | 0 | — |
| 1986 | 0 | — |
| 1987 | 0 | — |
| 1988 | 0 | — |
| 1989 | 0 | — |
| 1990 | 0 | — |
| 1991 | 0 | — |
| 1992 | 0 | — |
| 1993 | 9,049 | — |
| 1994 | 12,800 | +41.5% |
| 1995 | 13,000 | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 14,000 | +7.7% |
| 1997 | 15,000 | +7.1% |
| 1998 | 20,000 | +33.3% |
| 1999 | 25,000 | +25.0% |
| 2000 | 30,000 | +20.0% |
| 2001 | 266,461 | +788.2% |
| 2002 | 1.57 million | +488.8% |
| 2003 | 3.15 million | +100.7% |
| 2004 | 9.15 million | +190.4% |
| 2005 | 18.59 million | +103.2% |
| 2006 | 32.32 million | +73.9% |
| 2007 | 40.40 million | +25.0% |
| 2008 | 62.99 million | +55.9% |
| 2009 | 74.52 million | +18.3% |
| 2010 | 87.30 million | +17.1% |
| 2011 | 95.17 million | +9.0% |
| 2012 | 112.78 million | +18.5% |
| 2013 | 127.25 million | +12.8% |
| 2014 | 138.96 million | +9.2% |
| 2015 | 150.83 million | +8.5% |
| 2016 | 154.34 million | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 144.92 million | -6.1% |
| 2018 | 172.73 million | +19.2% |
| 2019 | 184.59 million | +6.9% |
| 2020 | 204.23 million | +10.6% |
| 2021 | 195.13 million | -4.5% |
| 2022 | 222.22 million | +13.9% |
| 2023 | 224.41 million | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 164.65 million | -26.6% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 164.65 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12.17 million, 13.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 164.65 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.69 million, 12.0× 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 | +788.2% | 30,000 | 266,461 |
| 2002 | +488.8% | 266,461 | 1.57 million |
| 2004 | +190.4% | 3.15 million | 9.15 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1980s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1990s | 10,885 | 0 | 25,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.30 million | 30,000 | 74.52 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 136.89 million | 87.30 million | 184.59 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 202.13 million | 164.65 million | 224.41 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More infrastructure data for Nigeria
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 70.76 per 100 people (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 164.65 million 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 224.41 million in 2023.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1960.
- How does Nigeria rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- Nigeria ranks 10th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.5%. 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. 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.