Executive Summary
This report analyzes social media usage patterns in Nigeria for 2025 compared to 2024, focusing on platform adoption, demographic shifts, and market penetration. Key findings include:
- Overall growth: Social media identities increased by 5.3% to 38.7 million users*
- Platform shifts: TikTok (+56.9% in users*) and X (+31.7% in users*) showed the highest growth, while Instagram (-20.2% in users*) and YouTube (-5.3% in users*) declined
- Gender dynamics: Male representation on social platforms increased by 2.8% (to 61.1% average), while female representation decreased by 3.1% (to 38.6% average)
- Population penetration: Social media penetration remained stable at approximately 16.3% of the total Nigerian population
- Usage behavior: Internet users aged 16+ now use an average of 7.09 social media platforms monthly (up from 5.0 in 2024)
- Commercial engagement: Nigeria maintains the world’s highest rates for both brand discovery (66.9%) and product research (98.2%) on social media
Data Sources and Methodology
This research is based on data from DataReportal’s Digital Reports for Nigeria:
- 2024 Report: https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-nigeria
- 2025 Report: https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2025-nigeria
- 2025 population data from Worldometer¹
- Digital Report 2025: https://wearesocial.com/uk/blog/2025/02/digital-2025/
Methodology Note
Data is primarily based on advertising reach metrics rather than monthly active users, which may influence interpretation. Population figures for 2025 use Worldometer’s mid-year estimate of 237,527,782 (reflecting a 2.37% increase from 2024).
Platform Usage Analysis
Overall Trends
The relationship between internet and social media adoption shows modest increases in both metrics. While internet users grew by an estimated 3.8% to reach approximately 106.9 million, social media penetration among internet users increased slightly from 35.7% to 36.2%. This suggests that social media adoption may be growing at a marginally faster rate than overall internet adoption.
| Metric | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Users (estimated) | 103.0M | ~106.9M | +3.8% |
| Social Media % of Internet Users | 35.7% | 36.2% | +0.5pp |
Platform Growth Analysis
The platform growth analysis (see Table 1.2 in Appendix) suggests divergent trajectories for social platforms in Nigeria during 2024-2025. TikTok’s users* increased by 56.9% (adding 13.56 million users*), potentially indicating growing popularity. Similarly, X and Snapchat showed robust growth in users* at 31.7% and 29.7% respectively, which might suggest user engagement with these platforms. LinkedIn’s users* grew by 20.9%, which could indicate increasing professional networking activity. Facebook maintained modest growth at 5.3%, possibly reflecting its mature market position. The decline in YouTube (-5.3%) and particularly Instagram (-20.2%) users* represents a shift in reported audience metrics, which might be due to changing user preferences, platform measurement adjustments, or other factors.
Platform User Base Analysis
The platform ranking by users* (see Table 1.3 in Appendix) provides insight into the relative reported audience sizes of social media platforms in Nigeria for 2025. Facebook maintains the largest reported audience with 38.7 million users*. TikTok has rapidly increased its users*, now reaching 37.4 million users*. YouTube remains significant with 27.0 million users*, while Snapchat reports a substantial audience of 19.6 million users*. The professional network LinkedIn reports 11.0 million registered users*, surpassing Instagram which has 9.90 million users*. X maintains a smaller but growing audience at 7.57 million users*.
Demographic Analysis
Gender Distribution Analysis
The gender distribution analysis (see Table 1.4 in Appendix) reveals a shift in the demographic composition of reported social media audiences in Nigeria between 2024 and 2025. The average female representation across platforms decreased from 41.7% to 38.6%, a decline of 3.1 percentage points. Correspondingly, male representation increased from 58.3% to 61.1%, a rise of 2.8 percentage points. This widening gender gap was observed in six of the seven platforms analyzed, with LinkedIn being the only platform to show an increase in female representation (+0.7pp). The most dramatic shift occurred in TikTok’s audience, where female representation fell by 8.8 percentage points.
Gender Representation by Platform (2025)
- Platform with most balanced gender ratio in reported audience: Snapchat (46.2% female, 52.0% male)
- Platform with most skewed gender ratio in reported audience: X (25.7% female, 74.3% male)
- Platform with largest year-over-year gender shift in reported audience: TikTok (-8.8pp female representation)
- Platform with increased female representation in reported audience: LinkedIn (+0.7pp female representation)
The platform-specific gender distribution shows considerable variation across services. Snapchat maintains the most balanced gender ratio in its reported audience, though still with a male majority. X demonstrates the most pronounced gender imbalance with male users constituting nearly three-quarters of its reported audience. TikTok experienced the most significant shift toward male users in its reported audience, with female representation dropping substantially. LinkedIn’s slight increase in female representation runs counter to the overall trend.
User Behavior Analysis
Time Spent and Platform Engagement
The data reveals significant changes in how Nigerian internet users engage with social media between 2024 and 2025:
- Platform diversity: Average number of social media platforms used monthly by internet users aged 16+ increased from 5.0 in 2024 to 7.09 in 2025 (+41.8%), suggesting users are diversifying their social media presence across more platforms.
- Time allocation: Daily time spent on social media by internet users aged 16+ decreased slightly from 3 hours 25 minutes in 2024 to 3 hours 23 minutes in 2025 (-0.9%). Despite using more platforms, users spent marginally less time overall on social media, suggesting potential platform fatigue or more strategic time allocation.
- Internet usage context: In 2025, Nigerian internet users spent an average of 6 hours 38 minutes daily using the internet across all devices, with approximately 51% of this time dedicated to social media platforms.
Social Media Purpose and Utility
The analysis of social media purpose reveals marked shifts in how Nigerians utilize these platforms:
| Usage Purpose | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learning about brands & content | 64.5% | 66.9% | +2.4pp |
| Researching brands/products for purchase | 97.4% | 98.2% | +0.8pp |
| Following influencers/experts | 43.5% | 29.8% | -13.7pp |
| Work-related use | 39.1% | 65.2% | +26.1pp |
| News consumption | 51.2% | 56.6% | +5.4pp |
Key Insights on Usage Patterns:
- Commercial engagement: Nigeria maintains the world’s highest rates for both brand discovery (66.9%) and product research (98.2%) on social media, with both metrics showing increases from 2024.
- Professional utilization: The most dramatic shift occurred in work-related social media usage, jumping from 39.1% to 65.2% (+26.1pp), making Nigeria the global leader in professional social media use. This substantial increase aligns with LinkedIn’s 20.9% growth in users and indicates growing opportunities for professional features and business-oriented tools.
- Influencer dynamics: Despite the growing importance of social media for brand engagement, the percentage of users following influencers or experts decreased significantly from 43.5% to 29.8% (-13.7pp). This suggests a potential shift toward more direct brand interactions rather than intermediary influencers.
- News consumption: Nigeria maintained its position as having the world’s highest percentage (56.6%) of internet users who rely on social media as a news source, increasing by 5.4pp from 2024. This indicates social media’s growing role in information dissemination in the Nigerian context.
Platform Highlights
Facebook reports the largest audience in Nigeria with 38.7 million users*, representing 16.3% of the population. Its moderate growth of 5.3% (+1.95 million users*) suggests a relatively mature position. The gender distribution remains relatively balanced compared to other platforms, with 42.2% female users and 57.8% male users, reflecting a slight decrease in female representation (-0.5pp) from 2024.
TikTok (18+)
TikTok reports the largest growth in audience, with an increase of 56.9% to reach 37.4 million users* (for users aged 18+). This expansion has positioned TikTok as a close second to Facebook, with its audience now representing 15.7% of Nigeria’s population (up from 10.5% in 2024). The platform has also experienced the most significant gender shift among all platforms analyzed, with female representation dropping by 8.8 percentage points to 32.1%, while male users increased to 67.9%.
YouTube
YouTube reports an audience of 27.0 million users*, experiencing a decline of 5.3% (-1.5 million users*) between 2024 and 2025. This reduced its population penetration from 12.6% to 11.4%. The platform saw a slight shift toward male users, with female representation dropping by 1.1 percentage points to 42.8%.
Snapchat
Snapchat reported an increase of 29.7%, adding 4.49 million users* to reach a total of 19.6 million users* (8.3% of Nigeria’s population). The platform maintains the most gender-balanced reported audience among all social networks analyzed, though with an increasing male presence (female users at 46.2%, down from 48.2% in 2024).
LinkedIn reports 11.0 million registered users*, showing growth of 20.9% by adding 1.9 million users*. It was the only platform to increase female representation (+0.7pp), though its user base remains predominantly male (63.2%). LinkedIn’s growth may reflect increasing professional networking activities in Nigeria.
Instagram’s reported audience decreased by 20.2%, with 2.5 million fewer users*, reaching 9.90 million users* in 2025. This decrease reduced its population penetration from 5.5% to 4.2%, dropping from fifth to sixth place in the ranking of platforms. The platform also saw a gender shift toward male users (+1.1pp), with female representation falling to 44.5%. Instagram’s decline may be due to measurement adjustments, changing user preferences, or other factors.
X (formerly Twitter)
X reported an increase of 31.7%, adding 1.82 million users* to reach 7.57 million users* (3.2% of Nigeria’s population). It remains the platform with the most male-dominated audience, with 74.3% male users and only 25.7% female users.
Key Insights and Implications
Platform Dynamics
- TikTok has experienced significant growth in users*, which may suggest a shift in Nigerian social media preferences
- Instagram’s substantial decline in users* might be related to measurement adjustments or changing user preferences
- Professional networking (LinkedIn) continues steady growth in users*, potentially indicating increased digital professional engagement
Gender Implications
- The widening gender gap across platforms’ reported audiences may warrant investigation into potential digital inclusion issues
- TikTok’s increasingly male-dominated audience represents a deviation from its previous gender distribution
- Changes in female representation could reflect underlying access dynamics
Market Potential
- With only 16.3% of the population represented in social media audiences, potential growth opportunities may exist
- Social media usage appears to be growing slightly faster than internet penetration, which might suggest increased adoption among existing internet users
- Platforms showing negative growth in users* may need to reassess their reporting methodologies or market strategies
Implications for Stakeholders
- For marketers and businesses:
- The nearly universal use of social media for product research (98.2%) presents significant opportunities for direct-to-consumer marketing in Nigeria
- The reduced influence of social media personalities may suggest refocusing strategies from influencer marketing to direct brand presence
- Users engaging with more platforms (7.09 monthly) indicates a need for multi-platform marketing strategies to maintain consistent brand presence
- For media and content creators:
- The continued growth in news consumption via social media reinforces these platforms’ importance for information dissemination
- The decline in influencer following combined with increased brand engagement suggests evolving content consumption preferences
- The increased work-related usage (65.2%) presents new opportunities for creating professional development and business-oriented content
This data complements the platform-specific findings, highlighting how behavioral trends align with platform growth patterns, particularly the significant increases in TikTok, X, and LinkedIn usage and the decline in Instagram’s audience.
Summary for Media Citations
- Nigeria’s social media audience grew by 5.3% to 38.7 million users*, representing 16.3% of the population in 2025.
- TikTok’s audience grew by 56.9% to 37.4 million users*, nearly matching Facebook’s 38.7 million despite a more gender-skewed audience (67.9% male vs 32.1% female).
- Female representation decreased across six of seven major platforms, dropping from 41.7% to 38.6% of reported audiences, potentially indicating gender-related digital access challenges.
- Instagram’s audience decreased by 20.2%, the largest decline among major platforms, while professional-focused LinkedIn grew by 20.9%.
- Despite overall growth in social media audiences, penetration remains at only 16.3% of Nigeria’s population, suggesting substantial room for future expansion.
Research Limitations and Considerations
- Data source limitations:
- Figures represent advertising reach rather than monthly active users
- Changes in users* may not directly correlate with actual user base changes
- Gender data is based on platform-reported audience estimates
- Unavailable metrics:
- Detailed age demographics beyond platform eligibility (13+/18+)
- Time spent on platforms
- User activities and engagement patterns
- Methodological notes:
- Social media identities may not represent unique individuals due to multiple accounts
- Population data sources differ between years (DataReportal 2024 vs. Worldometer 2025)
- Snapchat gender percentages don’t sum to 100% due to an “unknown” category
Appendix: Data Tables
Table 1.1: Social Media Platform Users and Market Penetration (2024-2025)
| Platform | Users* (2025) | Users* (2024) | Change | % Change | Female % (2025) | Male % (2025) | Population Penetration (2025) | Population Penetration (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38.7 million | 36.75 million | +1.95 million | +5.3% | 42.2% | 57.8% | 16.3% | 16.2% | |
| TikTok (18+) | 37.4 million | 23.84 million | +13.56 million | +56.9% | 32.1% | 67.9% | 15.7% | 10.5% |
| YouTube | 27.0 million | 28.50 million | -1.5 million | -5.3% | 42.8% | 57.2% | 11.4% | 12.6% |
| Snapchat | 19.6 million | 15.11 million | +4.49 million | +29.7% | 46.2% | 52.0%* | 8.3% | 6.7% |
| 11.0 million | 9.10 million | +1.9 million | +20.9% | 36.8% | 63.2% | 4.6% | 4.0% | |
| 9.90 million | 12.40 million | -2.5 million | -20.2% | 44.5% | 55.5% | 4.2% | 5.5% | |
| X | 7.57 million | 5.75 million | +1.82 million | +31.7% | 25.7% | 74.3% | 3.2% | 2.5% |
| Total | 38.7 million | 36.75 million | +1.95 million | +5.3% | – | – | 16.3% | 16.2% |
*Note: Snapchat gender percentages do not sum to 100% due to “unknown” category
Table 1.2: Platform Growth Ranking (2024-2025)
| Rank | Platform | % Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TikTok (18+) | +56.9% | +13.56 million |
| 2 | X | +31.7% | +1.82 million |
| 3 | Snapchat | +29.7% | +4.49 million |
| 4 | +20.9% | +1.9 million | |
| 5 | +5.3% | +1.95 million | |
| 6 | YouTube | -5.3% | -1.5 million |
| 7 | -20.2% | -2.5 million |
Table 1.3: Platform User Base Ranking (2025)
| Rank | Platform | Users* (2025) | % of Total Social Media Identities |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 38.7 million | 100.0% | |
| 2 | TikTok (18+) | 37.4 million | 96.6% |
| 3 | YouTube | 27.0 million | 69.8% |
| 4 | Snapchat | 19.6 million | 50.6% |
| 5 | 11.0 million | 28.4% | |
| 6 | 9.90 million | 25.6% | |
| 7 | X | 7.57 million | 19.6% |
Table 1.4: Gender Distribution on Social Media (2024-2025)
| Gender | 2025 Average | 2024 Average | Change | Platforms with Increased Representation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 38.6% | 41.7% | -3.1% | LinkedIn (+0.7pp) |
| Male | 61.1% | 58.3% | +2.8% | 6 of 7 platforms |
¹ Population data for 2025 is from Worldometer’s mid-year estimate of 237,527,782.
Note: “Users” refers to advertising reach metrics as reported by platforms, which may not reflect monthly active users or unique individuals. Changes in users may be influenced by platform corrections, reporting methodologies, or demographic targeting capabilities.
