A new global study has revealed that while Nigeria's digital quality of life saw a marginal improvement in 2025, it remains significantly hampered by the high cost of internet access, placing the country near the bottom of the global rankings.
Nigeria's Position and Regional Standing
According to the seventh edition of the Surfshark Digital Quality of Life Index (DQL) for 2025, Nigeria is ranked 97th out of the countries assessed worldwide. This represents a slight climb from its 100th position in the previous edition. The index evaluates nations based on five critical pillars: Internet affordability, Internet quality, digital infrastructure, digital security, and the newly added Artificial Intelligence (AI) pillar.
Within the African region, Nigeria continues to trail behind South Africa, which holds the 75th spot globally, and Kenya, which ranks 95th. Finland secured the top position overall, while the United States leads the world in AI development despite its 16th place overall ranking.
The Heavy Burden of Internet Affordability
The report identifies internet affordability as a primary drag on Nigeria's digital wellbeing. The data presents a stark picture of the economic burden on average Nigerians seeking to get online.
To afford the cheapest available mobile internet package, a Nigerian must work approximately 1 hour and 41 minutes each month. This is a staggering 14 times longer than in Angola, which boasts the world's most affordable mobile internet where citizens work just 7 minutes and 27 seconds monthly.
The situation is even more severe for fixed broadband internet. Nigerians need to work roughly 14 hours and 32 minutes per month to afford a fixed-line connection. This is 76 times more than in Bulgaria, the global leader in fixed internet affordability, where residents work only 11 minutes and 26 seconds.
Performance Across Key Digital Pillars
Nigeria's performance across the five measured areas was mixed. The country showed its greatest strength in digital security, where it ranked 58th globally, marking an 18-place improvement from the previous year. This pillar measures online safety, cybercrime readiness, and data protection laws, with Nigeria outperforming both South Africa (79th) and Kenya (72nd).
However, significant challenges persist in other areas:
- Internet Quality (117th): Nigeria's internet speeds lag behind the global average. Fixed broadband averages 46Mbps, far slower than Singapore's leading 463Mbps. Mobile internet averages 87Mbps, compared to 576Mbps in the UAE. Latency, or connection delay, is also higher than in top-performing countries.
- Internet Affordability (103rd): As detailed, high costs relative to income severely limit access.
- Digital Infrastructure (108th): Only 39% of Nigerians have internet access, ranking 108th globally. The country's network readiness is ranked 107th.
- Artificial Intelligence (85th): In this new pillar, Nigeria ranks below 69% of the studied nations. Its AI investment potential is 88th, and AI readiness is 83rd.
Expert Insights on AI and Infrastructure
Tomas Stamulis, Chief Security Officer at Surfshark, emphasized the critical role of AI and foundational infrastructure. "Measuring digital quality of life is no longer possible without looking at AI implementation," he stated. He noted that a higher position in AI development can boost economic growth and public services but warned of risks.
"Without investment in digital infrastructure and ensuring society is ready to use these tools, AI risks widening the digital divide, leaving some countries and vulnerable populations behind," Stamulis added. He stressed the need for modernised IT systems, workforce training, and robust data protection laws, which are lacking even in some top-ranked AI nations.
The Surfshark DQL 2025 report underscores that for Nigeria to improve its citizens' digital quality of life, concerted efforts to make internet access more affordable and to invest in future-ready digital infrastructure are urgently needed.
