The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has revealed significant growth in global digital connectivity, with 240 million new users joining the online population since January 2025. However, Nigeria presents a contrasting picture as the country experienced a decline in internet users during the same period.
Global Connectivity Expands Amid Quality Concerns
According to the ITU's Facts and Figures 2025 analysis released on Monday, approximately six billion people worldwide now use the internet, representing about three-quarters of the global population. This marks an increase from the revised 2024 estimate of 5.8 billion users.
The report confirms continuing progress in expanding digital connectivity, though it highlights significant differences in quality that affect how users benefit from their internet experience. Despite the growth, 2.2 billion people remain offline globally, down from 2.3 billion in 2024.
ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin emphasized that "everyone should have the opportunity to benefit from being online" in today's digitally dependent world. The report underscores the importance of digital infrastructure, affordable services, and skills training to ensure universal benefit from advancing technologies like artificial intelligence.
Nigeria's Internet Landscape Shows Mixed Results
While global numbers show growth, Nigeria experienced a different trend. Data from The Guardian checks revealed that internet users via narrowband connections have been declining since January to September 2025.
The country began 2025 with 142.2 million internet users but saw this number drop to 140.9 million by September end, representing a loss of approximately 1.21 million users. Industry analysts attribute this decline primarily to the 50 percent tariff hike imposed on telecom operators in January.
However, broadband subscriptions showed positive movement, growing from 98.8 million in January to 106.9 million in September. This growth has been largely driven by large enterprises adapting to changing connectivity needs.
5G Expansion and Persistent Digital Divides
The ITU report provided the first-ever estimates of 5G subscriptions, revealing that they now account for about one-third of all mobile broadband subscriptions worldwide, totaling approximately three billion.
5G networks now cover 55 percent of the global population, demonstrating strong momentum in advanced mobile technologies. However, coverage remains highly uneven, with 84 percent of people in high-income countries having access compared to only four percent in low-income nations.
In Nigeria, data from the Nigerian Communications Commission shows that 5G penetration stands at 3.37 percent three years after commercial launch, with about 5.6 million of Nigeria's 173 million active telephone users having access to the technology.
The report revealed stark contrasts in usage intensity, with a typical user in high-income countries generating nearly eight times more mobile data than their counterparts in low-income countries. This disparity highlights the persistent quality gap in global internet access.
Affordability remains a critical challenge, with the median price of data-only mobile broadband baskets decreasing globally but remaining unaffordable in approximately 60 percent of low- and middle-income countries.
Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau Director, stressed that "reliable data are the foundation of effective digital policies" and achieving universal connectivity will require sustained efforts in infrastructure, digital skills, and data systems.
The report also highlighted persistent digital divides linked to economic development, gender, and location. Only 23 percent of people in low-income countries use the internet compared to 94 percent in high-income countries, while 96 percent of offline individuals live in low- and middle-income nations.
