Statistics released on Friday by Jumia shows that mobile phone penetration in Nigeria grew from 162 million subscribers in 2017 to over 172 million mobile subscribers in 2018, accounting to a penetration rate of 87 percent of the population, representing a 6.4 percent growth increase
The report also shows that over 112 million Nigerians had access to the internet in 2018, representing 56% of the population, resulting to an increase of 14.32 percent year-on-year from 2017.
The growth according to the report is being fuelled by the availability of lower points phones, which paved way for more Nigerians to own a device.
Omolola Onasanya, Head, Vendor Operations and Experience, Jumia Nigeria, speaking at the launch of the 2019 Nigeria Mobile Report, in Lagos, stated that over 112 million Nigerians had access to the internet in 2018, representing 56 percent of the population, which she attributed to the availability of lower price point phones.
According to her, “In Nigeria, there were over 172 million mobile subscribers, accounting to a penetration rate of 87 percent of the population.
“This figure represented a 6.4 percent growth increase, compared to 162 million subscribers in 2017.
“Over 112 million Nigerians had access to the internet in 2018, representing 56 percent of the population.
“This accounted for an increase of 14.32 percent year-on-year from 2017. The availability of lower price point phones still remains the major driver of smartphone penetration.
At the end of 2018, there were over 36 million smartphone users, representing a penetration of 18.37 percent.”
Onasanya noted that the number of active social media users rose from 17 million in 2017 to 24 million at the end of 2018, which represents a 12 percent penetration of the country’s population.
Stanislaus Martins, Head, Growth and Partnerships, Jumia Nigeria, giving an overview of the Country's Economy Growth stated that the mobile telecommunications sub-sector contributed 7.4 percent to the country’s total GDP in 2018, compared to 5.5 percent in 2017, while Services sub-sector of the ICT sector contributed 77 percent out of the 7.4 percent contribution to the country’s GDP in 2018.
He noted that Nigeria’s GDP growth witnessed an upward swingfrom 0.8 percent in 2017 to 1.9 percent at the end of 2018, which fell below the projected 2.3 percent, majorly due to variations in prices of crude oil and its output.
He attributed the economic growth witnessed in 2018 to non-oil sectors such as Agriculture, Information and Communications Technology, Manufacturing, and Transport Storage.
“Nigeria’s GDP growth leapfrogged from 0.8 percent in 2017 to 1.9 percent at the end of 2018.
“However, the growth, although significant, was below the projected 2.3 percent, majorly due to variations in prices of crude oil and its output.
The economic growth, for the first time, was hinged on non-oil sectors such as Agriculture, Information and Communications Technology, Manufacturing, and Transport Storage.
“It is worth mentioning that the non-oil sector grew by 2 percent, the highest growth rate recorded since the economic recession in 2016.
“The Information and Communications Technology sector, which subsumed the digital economy, grew from its negative growth of 1 percent in 2017 to become the second fastest growing sector with a growth rate of 9.7 percent in 2018”, he added.
Earlier, Olukayode Kolawole, Head, PR and Communications, Jumia Nigeria, said that about 44 percent of mobile subscribers in Nigeria are using 3G technology and 4 percent are using 4G technology as against over 18 percent 4G penetration in South Africa and 16 percent in Angola.
Kolawole revealed that projections have shown that Nigeria’s mobile broadband penetration will rise to 55 percent of the population by 2025, with 70 percent having 3G connectivity and 17 percent having access to 4G networks.
He said, “It is predicted that Nigeria will contribute 4% of the estimated 700 million new global mobile subscribers, making it the only country in Africa marked with a significant contribution to increasing mobile penetration in the world.
“By this quota, it is expected that 28 million new mobile subscribers will emerge from Nigeria between 2019 and 2025, that is, an average of 7 million new mobile subscribers annually, if the country is to meet its quota.”
