Six in ten Nigerians are offline because smartphones cost too much, according to a new report by GSMA, the global industry body for telecom operators. Despite its significance, 130 million Nigerians were without mobile internet in 2024, 10 million more than the previous year. Globally, 3.1 billion people—38% of the world’s population—still do not use mobile internet despite living in areas with broadband coverage. Smartphones are crucial in a country that had 138.22 million mobile internet connections in July 2025. Expanding the mobile internet to more Nigerians is crucial, especially as the country aims to maximise its digital economy’s potential.