From 4.3M to 5.6B, the number of individuals using the internet globally since the creation of the first website has risen by over 130,000%

Key takeaways:

  • Between 1995 and 2000, internet users jumped from 39.4 million to 394 million, a 900% leap that marked the beginning of the digital era.
  • Just 14 years after the first website, over 1 billion people were online, showing how quickly the internet became essential.
  • Between 2010 and 2015, internet usage grew by 54.5%, slower than before but still powerful, especially in developing regions coming online.
  • With 5.6 billion users in January 2025, most of the world is now online, and future growth will be more about improving access, speed, and quality than just connecting new people.
  • Each phase had its catalyst. In the 1990s, it was websites and email. The 2000s brought broadband and Google. In the 2010s, it was smartphones. Now, it's AI, 5G, and IoT that are quietly shaping the future of internet use.

The number of people using the internet has grown from 4.3 million in 1991 to 5.6 billion in January 2025. That’s an increase of over 130,000% in three decades, and a reminder that we’ve lived through one of the fastest technology adoption waves ever recorded. But while the early internet era saw wild surges in growth, that speed has cooled significantly in the last decade.

Source:

Digital 2025 Global Overview Report

Period:

1991 - 2025
HTML code to embed chart
Want a bespoke report?
Reach out
Click to copy HTML embed code
Tags
Related Insights
An impressive 93% of internet users worldwide engage with social media
  • Social media is not optional; it’s universal, with 93% usage globally.
  • Traditional broadcast TV still sees 89.7% usage, and streaming TV (77.1%) isn’t far behind.
  • Individuals consume online news more than physical newspapers.
  • 66.4% still tune in to radio, showing that audio content still has a loyal base.
  • At 65.3% usage, platforms like Spotify and Apple Music are not just for entertainment; they’re part of people’s routines.
  • With 63.7% global engagement, podcasts are now a core part of modern media usage.
Instant messaging is the most pervasive activity among mobile internet users
  • Instant messaging leads with 94% usage, reflecting its role as the primary communication tool for Nigerians.
  • Social media is used by 91% of mobile internet users, but only 65% engage with it for business purposes, showing its dominance in personal interactions.
  • Online voice and video calls are highly popular, emphasising a shift toward real-time digital communication.
  • Only 45% access government services, while 41% use online health platforms, indicating gaps in essential digital services.
  • Agriculture-related internet use is the lowest at 25%, highlighting the rural digital divide and limited online resources for the sector.
86% of Nigerians aged 10+ in Nigeria’s North West lack Internet access
Nigerians aged 10 years and above in the South-South region have three times more access to the internet (42%) compared to those in the North-West (14%).
1GB of data in the US costs 15 times more than in Nigeria.
The cost of accessing the Internet isn't the same everywhere. In Switzerland, 1GB of mobile data costs $7.29, the most expensive globally, while Nigeria stands at just $0.38, which is 15 times less than the cost in the United States ($6.00). Meanwhile, Israel offers the cheapest deal at only $0.02 per GB. There is a more moderate global average at $2.59.
Burundi's broadband subscriptions increased the most in 2015
In 2022, only 11.3% of Burundi's population was using the Internet. As of 2023, the East African nation had an adult population of over 7 million and less than 3,000 fixed broadband subscriptions and 8.65 million mobile lines. Burundi's fixed broadband subscriptions grew from only 160 in 2009 to 2,790 in 2023, peaking at 4,230 in 2020 before a decline.
Nigeria: Northern states led internet subscriber growth from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024
Internet subscribers in Nigeria increased by 4.3% from 157.6m in March 2023 to 164.4m as of March 2024, an addition of 6.817m new subscribers. Lagos State has the largest share of active internet subscribers in Nigeria, but Nasarawa gained the most new subscribers in one year. assarawa (604k) got the most new subscribers between Q1 2023 and Q1 2024, followed by Niger (456k) and Kano (387k). Benue (368k) and Kwara (315k) also saw impressive subscriber growth. Bauchi, Taraba, Katsina, Adamawa, and Kogi completed the top ten.
POPULAR TOPICS
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Get periodic updates about the African startup space, access to our reports, among others.
Subscribe Here
Subscription Form
A product of Techpoint Africa. All rights reserved