KPMG West Africa, in partnership with Orange Group, has unveiled the 2025 edition of the Nigeria Smartphone Study. This comprehensive report offers insights into smartphone ownership and the
KPMG West Africa, in partnership with Orange Group, has unveiled the 2025 edition of the Nigeria Smartphone Study. This comprehensive report offers insights into smartphone ownership and the diverse applications that Nigerians use for various aspects of their digital lives, including finance, communication, commerce, and entertainment.
The launch event took place in Lagos on Friday and presented findings gathered from 13,251 respondents across 12 major cities in Nigeria. This study delves into how Nigerians engage with their mobile devices, highlighting the types of smartphones they own and the apps they frequently use.
One of the key discoveries from this year’s report is the significant rise in smartphone ownership, with penetration increasing to 75% in 2025, a noticeable jump from 64% in 2023. This growth underscores the increasing reliance on smartphones in daily life.
When it comes to smartphone brands, Android dominates the market, accounting for an impressive 88% of devices in use among the respondents. Tecno leads the pack as the most popular smartphone brand, holding a 30% market share.
In the fast-growing fintech sector, OPay stands out with the highest presence on smartphones, being utilised by 69% of users. Following OPay are PalmPay, used by 29% of respondents, and Moniepoint, which captures 14% of the market.
Adegboyega Ajayi, Head of Business Intelligence, Orange Group, Lawrence Amadi, Partner & Head, Technology, Media & Telecommunications, KPMG Africa, Tola Adeyemi, CEO, KPMG One Africa, Adetola Adesanoye, Research Lead, Orange Group, Dayo Adeniji, Partner, Tax, Regulatory and People Services,, KPMG West Africa
Messaging apps are also a focal point of the study. WhatsApp remains the top choice for communication, with a staggering 95% of users on smartphones. Facebook follows at 87%, while TikTok appeals to 70% of respondents, reflecting the diverse ways Nigerians connect and engage online.
The report covers a wide range of categories, including financial services, messaging, social media, e-commerce, transportation, entertainment, education, productivity, gaming, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence. This wide-ranging analysis offers a vivid snapshot of the vibrant digital landscape in Nigeria, showcasing how technology continues to shape the lives of its people.
Why Orange started the studyIn the rapidly evolving world of technology, understanding consumer behaviour is crucial. For Orange Group, a company with diverse interests spanning pharmaceuticals, personal care, and food and beverage, this quest for knowledge began back in 2019. Adegboyega Ajayi, the Head of Business Intelligence at Orange Group, explained that the initial research aimed to explore how both consumers and merchants interacted with mobile devices.
Ajayi remarked, “Let’s get to the heart of how people use their smartphones. We’re curious about whether we can innovate and introduce products that truly meet consumers at their point of convenience.”
The first phase of the research was conducted in Lagos, but by 2023, it expanded its reach to encompass 12 major cities across Nigeria. This significant growth aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of mobile usage across different urban areas, and the goal for the 2025 study is to further broaden its scope to ensure the findings are reflective of a wider demographic.
The latest research utilised face-to-face surveys and direct observations of mobile device usage. Respondents were carefully selected from the 12 cities: Lagos, Ibadan, Ilorin, Onitsha, Aba, Port Harcourt, Owerri, Benin City, Abuja, Jos, Kaduna, and Kano, to represent a diverse range of age groups and smartphone habits. Interestingly, 85% of those surveyed were aged between 18 and 45, and a significant portion of the respondents belonged to lower socio-economic classes, with 95% falling within the C2 to DE categories.
Adetola Adesanoye, Research Lead at Orange Group, revealed that their focus was not solely on smartphone users. “We aimed to capture the full picture of mobile usage,” she explained, highlighting that the research included individuals who still rely on feature phones.
This approach enabled the research team to compare the adoption of smartphones and feature phones, shedding light on the shifting trends in mobile usage throughout different regions of the country.
Similar read: OPay is installed in 69% of smartphones in Nigeria, more than any other fintech app
By exploring these dynamics, Orange Group hopes to not only stay ahead of the curve but also tailor its offerings to better serve consumers in a digital age that is continuously transforming.
KPMG and Orange Group reveal how Nigerians use OPay, WhatsApp and other apps on their smartphonesThe findings of a recent study highlight the increasing role of mobile applications in our daily financial activities. Among the various financial service apps, OPay stands out with a significant user base, boasting a presence on 69% of smartphones surveyed. In comparison, PalmPay and Moniepoint have 29% and 14% smartphone presence, respectively. Following these, Access Bank is used on 16% of smartphones, while UBA and GTBank each claim 11%.
This high usage of fintech apps underscores a broader trend: more people are relying on their smartphones for essential tasks like making transfers, paying bills, buying airtime, and managing their accounts. Ajayi, an expert in the field, emphasised how OPay, PalmPay, and Moniepoint have successfully catered to consumers’ needs, essentially meeting them where they are.
The report also dives into the e-commerce sector, showcasing Temu’s impressive rise. Jumia leads the pack of e-commerce apps with a 15% share of the smartphone market, followed by Jiji with 12%, Konga with 6%, and Temu with 4%.
In the realm of messaging applications, WhatsApp remains the dominant player, appearing on 95% of the smartphones surveyed. Facebook Messenger trails behind with a 32% presence, while Telegram is used by 27% of users.
Turning to productivity, Xender proves to be a favourite among users, found on 77% of smartphones, illustrating its importance in daily tasks.
Opay and Moniepoint
Entertainment-wise, Audiomack leads the music streaming scene with a 45% market share, closely followed by Boomplay at 40%. In the gaming world, Candy Crush Saga continues to reign supreme, capturing 19% of users.
Interestingly, ChatGPT has made its mark as the most popular AI application in this study, showing up on 13% of smartphones, while Google Assistant has a presence on 7%. These insights collectively paint a picture of a digital landscape where mobile applications are increasingly integral to the way we live, work, and communicate.
Why smartphones are becoming more important to Nigeria’s digital economyThe study by KPMG sheds light on the evolving landscape of smartphone usage in Africa, emphasising how technology adoption has transcended mere ownership. Lawrence Amadi, Partner and Head of Technology, Media & Telecommunications at KPMG Africa, highlighted that smartphones are now at the forefront of advancements in areas like artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing, stating, “There is no AI without smartphones.”
This point underlines the pivotal role smartphones play in our daily lives, as they facilitate a vast amount of digital engagement. Intriguingly, the study reveals that smartphone adoption is no longer limited to affluent individuals. Instead, a significant number of users from lower-income brackets, specifically those classified as socio-economic class D, have begun embracing these devices. This shift indicates a growing accessibility to smartphones among those who previously found them out of reach.
The KPMG and Orange Group researchers attribute this change, in part, to increased affordability. Dayo Adeniji, a Partner in Tax, Regulatory, and People Services at KPMG West Africa, pointed out that financing options for smartphones are making them attainable for consumers who may not have the means to pay for them upfront. This innovation is crucial in bridging the technological gap and allowing more individuals to participate in the digital world.
When examining smartphone brands in Nigeria, the study found that Tecno and Infinix remain dominant players. However, there has been a notable rise in popularity for brands like Itel and Xiaomi between the 2023 and 2025 studies. This evolving market landscape signifies a dynamic shift in consumer preferences, reflecting the increasing variety and accessibility of smartphones in the region.
In summary, KPMG’s study reveals a transformative shift in smartphone use across different socio-economic classes, underscoring the importance of these devices in fostering technological progress and digital inclusion.
The KPMG and Orange report is the first edition of the Nigeria Smartphone Study produced with KPMG’s involvement. Orange Group began the research in 2019 and has expanded it from a Lagos-focused survey into a broader study covering 12 Nigerian cities.
For KPMG and Orange Group, the objective is to continue tracking how Nigerians’ relationship with smartphones changes as devices become more affordable and mobile applications become more central to financial services, communication, commerce, and entertainment.
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