Despite billions of people living within reach of mobile internet services, more than 3 billion individuals remain offline, a new GSMA report warns.
The global mobile industry body is calling for renewed urgency in addressing the “Usage Gap” – people who have coverage but are not yet using mobile internet – a challenge that looms large for Nigeria and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity Report 2025, unveiled by the GSMA in London, underscores both the progress and the persistent divides shaping the future of global connectivity. While 200 million new users joined the mobile internet in 2024, 3.1 billion people worldwide – representing 38% of the global population – still live offline despite being covered by mobile networks.
Why the “Usage Gap” Matters for Nigeria
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is at the heart of this global debate. Mobile phones are the primary access point to the internet for millions of Nigerians. Yet affordability challenges, limited digital skills, poor awareness of mobile internet services, and gender inequalities continue to hold many back from connecting.
Globally, 96% of people live in areas where mobile internet coverage is available. But the GSMA report highlights a sobering reality: it is no longer enough to simply roll out networks. Instead, the key challenge is ensuring that individuals can afford, understand, and trust mobile internet enough to use it in ways that improve their lives.
The GSMA estimates that closing this usage gap could unlock $3.5 trillion in additional GDP between now and 2030. For a nation like Nigeria, where the digital economy is increasingly seen as a driver of diversification away from oil, the stakes could not be higher.
The GSMA estimates that closing this usage gap could unlock $3.5 trillion in additional GDP between now and 2030. For a nation like Nigeria, where the digital economy is increasingly seen as a driver of diversification away from oil, the stakes could not be higher.
Mobile internet: Progress in coverage – but gaps remain
According to the report, 4.7 billion people, or 58% of the world’s population, now use mobile internet services on their own devices. This growth was powered by the addition of 200 million new users in 2024.
Meanwhile, an additional 40 million people gained access to coverage last year, three-quarters of them in Sub-Saharan Africa. Still, 300 million people worldwide remain outside coverage, living in what is called the “Coverage Gap.”
For Nigeria, where network operators like MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and T2 continue to invest heavily in expanding 4G and 5G coverage, the issue is not just about infrastructure. The majority of Nigerians already live under mobile internet coverage. Instead, the question is how to convert coverage into meaningful connectivity.
The affordability challenge
One of the most stubborn barriers is the cost of internet-enabled devices. Across LMICs, the GSMA notes that the affordability of entry-level smartphones has not improved since 2021. Today, such a device costs an average of 16% of monthly income – and for the poorest 20% of the population, as much as 48%.
In Nigeria, where inflation and naira devaluation continue to bite, this affordability barrier is especially acute. The cost of a new entry-level smartphone can easily consume half of the monthly income of many low-income households.
Vivek Badrinath, GSMA’s Director General, emphasises that: “A device at $30 could make handsets affordable to up to 1.6 billion people who are currently priced out of connecting to available mobile internet coverage.”
This thinking has led to the creation of the Handset Affordability Coalition, a GSMA-led initiative launched in 2024. It brings together global mobile operators, device manufacturers, policymakers, and financing institutions like the World Bank, the ITU, and the WEF Edison Alliance to accelerate smartphone access.
For Nigerian consumers, this could mean a future where affordable smartphones are financed, subsidised, or made accessible through partnerships that lower entry costs.
Vivek Badrinath, GSMA’s Director General, emphasises that: “A device at $30 could make handsets affordable to up to 1.6 billion people who are currently priced out of connecting to available mobile internet coverage.”
Gender and rural divides persist
The report highlights stark divides in LMICs like Nigeria. Adults living in rural areas are 25% less likely to use mobile internet than their urban counterparts. Meanwhile, women in LMICs are 14% less likely than men to be online via mobile.
In Nigeria, this double divide – rural and gender-based – mirrors broader socioeconomic inequalities. Rural areas often suffer from unreliable electricity, limited digital literacy programmes, and poor awareness of online opportunities. Women, especially in conservative and lower-income communities, face cultural and financial barriers to accessing mobile technology.
These divides threaten to widen unless intentional efforts are made to create targeted interventions, from digital literacy campaigns in rural communities to financing schemes aimed at female entrepreneurs.
Beyond Access: The Quest for Meaningful Connectivity
Even among the 4.7 billion people who are connected, GSMA raises concerns that many are not experiencing “meaningful connectivity.” For many, mobile internet use is limited to basic activities such as checking news or social media.
“Meaningful connectivity” means having a safe, satisfying, enriching, and productive online experience that is affordable and contextually relevant. This includes being able to use mobile internet for e-commerce, education, healthcare, banking, and other life-enhancing activities.
For Nigeria, this is a critical issue. While mobile internet penetration is rising, many Nigerians remain on expensive data bundles and lack the skills to fully explore the opportunities of digital services.
The Role of Infrastructure: 4G and 5G Expansion
The GSMA report shows continued growth in network infrastructure, with 5G now covering 54% of the world’s population and 4G reaching 93%. However, 5G rollouts are slowing as operators prioritise investment in high-value markets.
In Nigeria, where 5G was commercially launched in 2022, coverage remains limited to major cities. Most Nigerians still rely on 3G and 4G networks, which are often congested and inconsistent. Without broader and more reliable access to high-speed mobile internet, the promise of digital inclusion remains incomplete.
“Meaningful connectivity” means having a safe, satisfying, enriching, and productive online experience that is affordable and contextually relevant. This includes being able to use mobile internet for e-commerce, education, healthcare, banking, and other life-enhancing activities.
What Needs to Change?
The GSMA report identifies several key barriers to mobile internet adoption:
- Affordability – especially of devices, but also of mobile data.
- Awareness – many people are still unaware of the benefits of mobile internet.
- Digital skills – limited literacy and technical know-how prevent usage.
- Relevant content – lack of local language and contextually relevant digital services.
- Security concerns – fear of fraud and online risks discourages adoption.
- Electricity access – unreliable power supply makes device use difficult in many communities.
For Nigeria, addressing these issues will require coordinated action by mobile operators, regulators, policymakers, financial institutions, and civil society.
Socioeconomic Stakes of Closing the Gap
The GSMA estimates that connecting the 3.1 billion unconnected people could add $3.5 trillion to global GDP by 2030. For Nigeria, this would mean significant boosts in digital trade, financial inclusion, healthcare delivery, and education access.
Already, critical services from government e-portals to fintech platforms and health information systems are moving online. Without mobile internet access, millions risk being excluded from opportunities that could improve livelihoods.
A Call for Collaboration
GSMA’s Badrinath underscores that solving this challenge cannot be left to mobile operators alone. It requires a concerted, collaborative effort involving device manufacturers, policymakers, international organisations, and financiers.
“In 96% of the world, the infrastructure is in place for people to get online via mobile. Removing the remaining barriers is essential to ensuring existing digital divides are reduced rather than deepened,” he says.
For Nigeria, this means regulators like the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), alongside the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, must prioritise affordability, inclusion, and literacy alongside infrastructure development.
From Coverage to Connection
The GSMA’s 2025 report delivers a clear message: coverage is no longer the biggest barrier to global connectivity. The challenge now is converting coverage into usage – and usage into meaningful, life-enhancing digital experiences.
For Nigerians, the findings are a reminder that the digital future will not be built by infrastructure alone. It will require affordable devices, inclusive policies, digital literacy, and local content that makes the internet relevant and valuable to everyday lives.
Only then will the promise of mobile internet – healthcare, education, banking, trade, and empowerment at the tap of a screen – truly reach every Nigerian.
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