Nigeria stands at a crossroads in its digital journey. While mobile broadband coverage reaches most of the population, more than 130 million Nigerians remain offline, locked out of opportunities that the digital economy brings.
A new report by the GSMA, The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity Report 2025, sheds light on why. The single biggest barrier is not the lack of network coverage — Nigeria already has it. It is the unaffordability of smartphones, the very tools needed to unlock the internet.
And the solution, the GSMA says, may lie in a simple number: ₦45,208.20 ($30).
Globally, 3.1 billion people live in areas with mobile broadband coverage but are not using it. Nigeria, with its 130 million offline citizens, is one of the five countries leading this “usage gap,” alongside India, China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
The reality behind the usage gap
Globally, 3.1 billion people live in areas with mobile broadband coverage but are not using it. Nigeria, with its 130 million offline citizens, is one of the five countries leading this “usage gap,” alongside India, China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
The paradox is striking. Mobile operators have invested heavily in expanding coverage. Towers rise in villages, 4G is spreading, and even 5G has launched in select Nigerian cities. Yet millions of Nigerians do not, and cannot, connect.
Why? Because they lack a smartphone.
Across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the GSMA finds that an entry-level device costs the equivalent of 16% of the average monthly income. For the poorest 20%, that figure rises to nearly half their income. In Sub-Saharan Africa, it is worse — a basic handset can consume 87% of the poorest quintile’s monthly earnings.
It is not just about the ability to own a phone. It is about unlocking access to education, healthcare, commerce, and financial inclusion. For farmers in Katsina, a $30 phone could mean access to weather updates and market prices. For women entrepreneurs in Enugu, it could mean mobile payments and online marketplaces. For students in Kano, it could be online learning.
What a ₦45 handset means for Nigeria’s digital economy
The GSMA makes a compelling case: if smartphones could be sold for as low as $30 (₦45,208.20), they would be affordable to 1.6 billion more people worldwide. For Nigeria, this price point could open the door to digital inclusion for millions already within broadband coverage but unable to get online.
It is not just about the ability to own a phone. It is about unlocking access to education, healthcare, commerce, and financial inclusion. For farmers in Katsina, a $30 phone could mean access to weather updates and market prices. For women entrepreneurs in Enugu, it could mean mobile payments and online marketplaces. For students in Kano, it could be online learning.
The ripple effects across Nigeria’s economy and society would be transformative.
The African context: Why the gap persists
Sub-Saharan Africa continues to top the global offline list. Only 25% of the population uses mobile internet, compared with over 75% in Europe, North America, and East Asia.
Nigeria mirrors this inequality. Wealthier, urban Nigerians are already banking, shopping, and learning online. But in rural areas and among the poorest groups, the reality is different: feature phones still dominate, and mobile internet use remains a luxury.
This divide reinforces other inequalities. Women are 14% less likely than men to use mobile internet in LMICs, and people in rural areas are 25% less likely than their urban counterparts. In Nigeria, where rural poverty is high, these gaps are especially stark.
More than price: What Nigerians want in a phone
While affordability is key, Nigerians also care about features. The GSMA’s analysis shows that people value battery life, durability, speed, storage, and camera quality above all else.
This resonates in Nigeria, where erratic power supply makes long-lasting batteries indispensable, tough environments demand durability, and social media culture has elevated the importance of good cameras. Nigerians want phones that work for their daily realities, not just the cheapest devices on the shelf.
For Nigeria, the numbers are just as staggering. Bridging the divide for 130 million offline citizens would not just connect individuals. It would strengthen the nation’s economy, create jobs, empower women, and expand access to essential services.
Barriers beyond affordability
The smartphone gap interacts with other barriers:
Digital literacy: Millions of Nigerians remain unable to read, write, or navigate online platforms confidently.
Security fears: Fraud, scams, and harassment online deter new users, particularly women.
Relevance of content: Many people do not yet see the value of going online if there is little local content that meets their needs.
But the GSMA is clear: none of these barriers can be tackled until the first step — owning an affordable device — is solved.
The stakes for Nigeria’s economy
The GSMA estimates that closing the global usage gap could add $3.5 trillion to GDP between 2023 and 2030. Closing the gender gap alone would unlock $1.3 trillion.
For Nigeria, the numbers are just as staggering. Bridging the divide for 130 million offline citizens would not just connect individuals. It would strengthen the nation’s economy, create jobs, empower women, and expand access to essential services.
It would mean more Nigerians participating in digital education, telemedicine, mobile banking, and e-commerce. It would mean more entrepreneurs leveraging online platforms to grow their businesses. It would mean more citizens benefiting from e-government services.
Policy and industry action: What needs to change
The GSMA is calling for urgent action — and Nigeria must listen. The recommendations are clear:
Cut taxes and import duties on low-cost smartphones to lower prices for consumers.
Promote financing models, such as pay-as-you-go and micro-loans, to help low-income households spread the cost of devices.
Subsidy programmes, led by government and supported by private sector players, can make entry-level smartphones accessible to the poorest Nigerians.
Public-private collaboration should prioritise not just network expansion but also device affordability as a top digital inclusion goal.
A call to action
The challenge is urgent, but the opportunity is enormous. Nigeria has already made progress in expanding mobile broadband coverage. But coverage without access is an empty promise.
The 130 million Nigerians who remain offline are not statistics — they are farmers, traders, students, and families whose futures depend on being connected.
As the GSMA report warns, “Closing the digital divide requires deliberate, focused efforts to address these barriers to digital inclusion.” For Nigeria, making entry-level smartphones affordable is the most immediate and impactful step to bring millions online.
At just $30, the cost of a handset could unlock the future for millions of Nigerians — and transform the nation’s digital destiny.
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