On average, each person spends a total of 3 hours and 46 minutes on the mobile internet every day

Key takeaways:

  • With nearly four hours daily, mobile internet is the primary way people interact with content.
  • At 3 hours and 13 minutes daily, TV remains relevant but is being outpaced by mobile consumption.
  • With 2 hours and 21 minutes daily, platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and X are where people spend much of their mobile time.
  • Digital press consumption (58 minutes daily) outpaces traditional print (42 minutes), signalling a continued decline in physical media.
  • Users spend 1 hour 25 minutes on music streaming, but gaming consoles only see 1 hour and 3 minutes, showing that on-the-go entertainment is preferred.
  • With podcasts at 52 minutes and radio at 51 minutes, audio content is still relevant but not as dominant as video and social media.

The digital world is powered by mobile, and the numbers prove it. On average, people spend nearly four hours daily (3:46) on mobile internet, making it the most consumed form of media. This exceeds time spent on TV (3:13) and desktops/laptops/tablets (2:52), showing a clear shift toward mobile-first digital experiences.
Interestingly, traditional media like print newspapers continue to decline, with only 42 minutes daily spent on physical press, compared to 58 minutes on online news platforms. Even radio, podcasts, and gaming consoles attract less attention than mobile content.

Source:

Global Web Index (GWI)

Period:

2025
HTML code to embed chart
Want a bespoke report?
Reach out
Click to copy HTML embed code
Tags
Related Insights
Nearly 60% of X’s Ad audience across Africa’s top 10 markets is concentrated in Nigeria, Egypt, and South Africa
  1. Nigeria ranks first with 7.3 million estimated users — over 2.8 million more than Egypt.
  2. Egypt (4.5 million) and South Africa (3.1 million) follow, forming the top three markets.
  3. The top three countries account for nearly 60% of the total users across the ten listed countries.
  4. The gap between first (7.3 million) and tenth (Tunisia, 322,000) is more than 6.9 million users, highlighting wide market disparities.
South Africa accounts for 22% of Africa’s 282 data centres
  • South Africa leads with 61 facilities, accounting for 21.6% of the continent’s total
  • Nigeria (25) and Kenya (19) complete the top three countries with major digital infrastructure hubs
  • Many countries operate with fewer than five facilities
  • Eighteen countries have just one data centre each
  • As cloud adoption, fintech, streaming, and AI grow, new regional hubs are likely to emerge beyond today’s leaders.
South Africa accounts for 25% of Africa’s 249 data centres
  • Africa had 249 data centres as of February 2026
  • South Africa leads with 61 facilities, accounting for 25% of the continent’s total
  • Nigeria (25) and Kenya (19) complete the top three countries with major digital infrastructure hubs
  • Many countries operate with fewer than five facilities
  • A dozen countries have just one data centre
  • Infrastructure concentration means cross-border data dependence for many smaller economies.
  • As cloud adoption, fintech, streaming, and AI grow, new regional hubs are likely to emerge beyond today’s leaders.
Rack Centre leads Nigeria’s data centre in live capacity at 13.5 MW across its 2 centres
  • Rack Centre leads Nigeria’s live capacity with 13.5 MW
  • Africa Data Centres (10 MW) and Equinix (8.8 MW) form the next tier of large operators
  • Lagos dominates capacity, reinforcing its role as Nigeria’s primary digital infrastructure hub
  • Several operators have major expansion plans, including Africa Data Centres (+10.65 MW addition) and OADC Lagos (+24.5 MW addition)
Lagos houses 21 of 25 data centres, accounting for 84% of the nation’s centres
  • Lagos hosts 21 of Nigeria’s 25 data centres.
  • Only Lagos, Abuja, and Kano currently host data centres.
  • Abuja holds 12% of the country’s data centres despite being the capital.
  • Kano’s single facility accounts for just 4% and highlights the limited digital infrastructure in northern Nigeria.
  • The distribution shows a high geographic concentration risk; national digital operations rely heavily on Lagos.
  • Lagos’ dominance reflects its advantages: commercial activity, connectivity, and proximity to submarine cable landings.
Seven of Africa's top 10 streamers on Twitch and Kick are Nigerians
  • Ilyas El Maliki is Africa’s most followed streamer, with 846,900 followers on Kick.
  • Nigeria dominates the top ten, contributing seven streamers to the list.
  • Nigeria’s top streamers have a combined 1.35 million followers, showing a strong concentration of influence.
  • Follower distribution drops sharply after the top two.
  • Streaming influence in Africa is country-clustered rather than evenly distributed across the continent.
  • Platforms such as Twitch and Kick are enabling African creators to compete globally.
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