In the past seven years, 9mobile has experienced a consistent decline in its Internet subscriber base, with an average loss of 134k subscribers monthly since June 2016. This decline began after it reached 17.2 million subscribers — its highest ever — in April 2016. As of July 2023, 9mobile's Internet subscriber count was 3.9m. MTN had the largest share (68.1m) of Nigeria's 159m Internet subscribers as of July 2023. Glo and Airtel had almost equal shares, with 43.9m and 42.9m subscribers, respectively.
Since 2001, the 2022/23 academic year has recorded the highest number of Nigerians studying in US' higher institutions, adding 3,202 students to the previous academic year to reach 17,640. This represents the biggest addition in the time period.
Between 2018 and 2021, adult literacy rates across African nations exhibited significant disparities. Seychelles and South Africa led with literacy rates of 96% and 95%, respectively, indicating a high proportion of literate adults. Conversely, Chad had the lowest literacy rate during this period.
These statistics underscore the uneven progress in educational attainment across Africa, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to improve literacy in lower-performing nations.
Inflation rate in Nigeria increased to 31.7% in February 2024. Nigeria has the 13th highest inflation rate out of 186 countries and territories as of February 2024.
The data showcases Argentina leading with 276%, followed by Lebanon and Syria. Seven of the top fifteen are African.
Nigeria was the seventh most populous nation in the world in 2020, with 206.1 million people. Projected to reach a population of 401.3 million by 2050, Nigeria will rank third after India (1st) and China (2nd). According to Institut national d'études démographiques' projections, Nigeria, Ethiopia, DR Congo, Egypt, Tanzania, and Kenya will be among the world’s top 20 most populous countries by 2050.
The Nigerian movie industry, mainly financed via public or private funding and international grants, produces the most films in Africa, yearly. Nigeria produced more than double the number of films that the Ghanaian and Kenyan movie industries produce annually.
In the past five years, Nigerian Fintech startups have received the most funding in the startup space, with over $1.01b raised in 2021, the highest in 14 years. Funding for the sector has since reduced following the raise in 2021.
Only 10% of Nigerians earn above ₦100,000, according to the Nigerian Financial Services Market Report. This aligns with most reports about Nigeria, and it's in sharp contrast to the narratives online.
Between 2018 and 2021, adult literacy rates across African nations exhibited significant disparities. Seychelles and South Africa led with literacy rates of 96% and 95%, respectively, indicating a high proportion of literate adults. Conversely, Chad had the lowest literacy rate during this period.
These statistics underscore the uneven progress in educational attainment across Africa, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to improve literacy in lower-performing nations.
VAT revenue in naira has consistently grown over the years, hitting an all-time high of ₦3.64 trillion in 2023.
The dollar value of VAT revenue declined despite the increase in naira terms, dropping from $5.88 billion in 2022 to $5.44 billion in 2023.
Over the last decade, VAT revenue in naira has grown at an impressive CAGR of 20.18%, while its dollar value grew at a much lower 5.48%, showing the impact of currency devaluation.
2023 saw one of the largest year-on-year increases in VAT revenue in naira, but the corresponding drop in dollar value indicates that exchange rate volatility are eroding real revenue gains.
Nigeria’s revenue collection efforts are improving, but the decline in dollar value highlights the need for economic stability and currency strength.
This trend reflects a broader issue in Nigeria’s economy - higher local earnings do not necessarily translate into increased global purchasing power.
With VAT being a major non-oil revenue source, policymakers must focus on stabilizing the exchange rate to maximize the real impact of revenue growth.
China's total LNG imports dropped by over 55%, from $44 billion in 2021 to $19.4 billion in 2023, showing a significant reduction in demand and a shift in sourcing.
Australia, which was China’s largest LNG supplier in 2021 ($16.3 billion), is no longer among the sources in 2023, signaling a shift in China’s energy diversification strategy.
Russia and Turkmenistan have emerged as dominant suppliers in 2023, with Turkmenistan leading at $9.61 billion and Russia following at $6.44 billion
The U.S. has nearly disappeared from China's LNG market, dropping from $6.22 billion in 2021 to just $52,400 in 2023, a staggering 99.99% decline, likely due to geopolitical tensions and trade policies.
Digital wallets are the fastest-growing e-commerce payment method in Nigeria, set to double from 11% in 2023 to 22% by 2027.
A2A transfers remain the dominant payment method, slightly increasing from 32% to 34%, showing continued reliance on direct bank-to-bank transfers.
Cash-on-delivery is becoming less relevant, dropping from 15% in 2023 to just 9% in 2027, signaling a shift away from cash-based transactions.
Both debit card and credit card payments are declining, with debit cards dropping from 19% to 16% and credit cards falling from 15% to 12%, suggesting a changing balance in card preferences.
Prepaid cards and buy now, pay later (BNPL) solutions remain relatively small players in the Nigerian e-commerce space, with minimal growth.
Three sectors, Manufacturing, ICT, and Mining & Quarrying, accounted for 58.8% of total VAT revenue in the first half of 2024.
Manufacturing alone contributed 24.8% of VAT, making it the highest-paying sector.
Nigeria’s digital economy is thriving, with ICT generating 17.6% of VAT revenue, signaling the growth of telecom, data services, and digital platforms.
The extractive industry remains vital, with Mining & Quarrying contributing 16.4% of total VAT collection.
Finance & Insurance (10.2%) and Public Administration & Defence (9.7%) also made significant contributions to Nigeria’s VAT revenue.
Despite contributions from 21 sectors, VAT revenue is still heavily reliant on a few key industries, highlighting the need for a broader tax base.