Social Media Users in Nigeria (2026): The Numbers by Platform
The short answerNigeria had 61.4 million social media user identities, 25.2 percent of the population and 47.5 percent of adults, according to DataReportal's report of 5 November 2026. TikTok reaches the most adults, then YouTube and Facebook, while WhatsApp is the app most Nigerians use. Jeskie Panel shows what that means for growing an account.
Nigeria had 61.4 million social media user identities at the time of DataReportal's latest country report, published on 5 November 2026: 25.2 percent of the population, 47.5 percent of adults and 53.0 percent of internet users, up 14 million (+28.3 percent) in a year. TikTok has the largest ad reach (61.4 million adults), followed by YouTube (36.0 million) and Facebook (34.2 million), while surveys show WhatsApp is the app almost every Nigerian online uses. Every number below carries its source and date.
If you are here to grow an account rather than to research one, our SMM panel Nigeria page shows every service priced in naira, paid by bank transfer or card.
How many social media users are there in Nigeria?
DataReportal counts 61.4 million social media user identities in Nigeria, based on the ad tools of the big platforms. Two cautions come with that number. Identities are not always unique people, since one person can hold several accounts. And when de-duplicating is hard, DataReportal's method may count only the largest platform, which is why the total equals TikTok's adult reach this year.
| Measure | Figure | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Social media user identities | 61.4 million | DataReportal, 5 November 2026 |
| Share of total population | 25.2% | DataReportal, 5 November 2026 |
| Share of adults 18+ | 47.5% | DataReportal, 5 November 2026 |
| Share of internet users | 53.0% | DataReportal, 5 November 2026 |
| Female and male | 47.4% female, 52.6% male | DataReportal, 5 November 2026 |
| Change over the year | +14 million (+28.3%) | DataReportal, 5 November 2026 |
| Previous report | 47.8 million (20.0% of the population) | DataReportal, 8 November 2025 |
Nigeria is young: United Nations data in the same report put the population at 244 million with a median age of 18.3. Almost half of all Nigerians are under 18, so the adult figures above leave out a large group of teenage users.
Social media users in Nigeria by platform
Each platform's figure is its advertising reach, published in its own ad tools and collected by DataReportal for the report of 5 November 2026. LinkedIn counts registered members rather than active users.
| Platform | Ad reach | Share of adults 18+ | Share of internet users | Change over the year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok (18+) | 61.4 million | 47.5% | 53.0% | +28.3% |
| YouTube | 36.0 million | Not published | 31.1% | +18.0% |
| 34.2 million | 26.5% | 29.5% | down 10.0% | |
| Snapchat | 26.4 million | 18.5% | 22.8% | +15.0% |
| LinkedIn (members) | 14.0 million | 10.8% | 12.1% | +7.7% |
| 8.30 million | 6.4% | 7.2% | down 17.0% | |
| 6.91 million | Not published | 6.0% | Not published | |
| X (Twitter) | 6.78 million | Not published | 5.9% | down 2.6% |
| Threads | 1.45 million | 1.1% | 1.3% | +53.5% |
| 915 thousand | Not published | 0.8% | +12.8% |
Messenger has no ad reach figure in this year's report, and WhatsApp does not publish one, so both appear only in the survey section below.
Platform by platform: the full numbers
All figures in this section are from the platforms' ad tools as reported by DataReportal on 5 November 2026.
TikTok users in Nigeria
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Ad reach, users 18+ | 61.4 million |
| Share of adults 18+ | 47.5% |
| Share of internet users | 53.0% |
| Adult audience | 47.4% female, 52.6% male |
| Change over the year | +13.5 million (+28.3%) |
TikTok's tools only show users aged 18 and above. TikTok's own Community Guidelines Enforcement Report shows the scale of posting: from 1 January to 31 March 2026 it removed more than 4.8 million videos in Nigeria, about 0.6 percent of all uploads there, and suspended 120,000 LIVE sessions, as reported by Techeconomy on 24 July 2026.
YouTube users in Nigeria
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Ad reach | 36.0 million |
| Share of population | 14.8% |
| Share of internet users | 31.1% |
| Adult audience | 45.6% female, 54.4% male |
| Change over the year | +5.50 million (+18.0%) |
YouTube's reach grew by 4.30 million (+13.6 percent) between July and October alone.
Facebook users in Nigeria
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Ad reach | 34.2 million |
| Share of adults 18+ | 26.5% |
| Share of internet users | 29.5% |
| Adult audience | 42.2% female, 57.8% male |
| Change over the year | down 3.80 million (10.0%) |
Facebook's reach fell 3.60 million between July and October. DataReportal warns that such drops can reflect a platform removing duplicate or false accounts, not people leaving.
Snapchat users in Nigeria
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Ad reach | 26.4 million |
| Share of adults 18+ | 18.5% |
| Share of internet users | 22.8% |
| Adult audience | 44.5% female, 54.4% male |
| Change over the year | +3.45 million (+15.0%) |
LinkedIn members in Nigeria
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Registered members | 14.0 million |
| Share of adults 18+ | 10.8% |
| Share of internet users | 12.1% |
| Audience | 37.8% female, 62.2% male |
| Change over the year | +1.00 million (+7.7%) |
Instagram users in Nigeria
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Ad reach | 8.30 million |
| Share of adults 18+ | 6.4% |
| Share of internet users | 7.2% |
| Adult audience | 46.7% female, 52.7% male |
| Change over the year | down 1.70 million (17.0%) |
Instagram's fall, like Facebook's, may partly be account corrections; in surveys it remains one of the most used apps.
Pinterest users in Nigeria
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Ad reach | 6.91 million |
| Share of internet users | 6.0% |
| Audience | 48.6% female, 47.2% male, 4.2% unspecified |
| Change, July to October | +398 thousand (+6.1%) |
X (Twitter) users in Nigeria
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Ad reach | 6.78 million |
| Share of internet users | 5.9% |
| Audience (gender inferred by X) | 36.9% female, 63.1% male |
| Change over the year | down 180 thousand (2.6%) |
X infers gender from profile signals, and DataReportal advises caution with its gender and change figures.
Which apps Nigerians say they use
Ad tools count accounts. Surveys ask people. In GWI's survey of internet users aged 16 and above, run from April to June and published by DataReportal on 5 November 2026, these shares said they used each platform at least once in the past month:
| Platform | Internet users 16+ who used it in the past month |
|---|---|
| 96.8% | |
| Nearly 95% | |
| 89.5% | |
| TikTok | 88.9% |
| X (Twitter) | 80.0% |
| Telegram | 77.7% |
| Snapchat | 68.0% |
| Messenger | 67.7% |
| 24.7% | |
| 21.3% |
So WhatsApp is the most used social app in Nigeria, with Facebook close behind, even though TikTok leads on ad reach. GWI surveys people who are already online, which is one reason Instagram scores far higher here than in Meta's ad tools.
A third view comes from StatCounter, which measures clicks from social platforms to websites. For October it gave Facebook 85.33 percent of social media referrals in Nigeria, X 4.76 percent, Instagram 4.1 percent and YouTube 3.23 percent (read on 9 November 2026). It does not count in-app use, so TikTok and WhatsApp barely appear.
Internet and mobile in Nigeria: NCC and DataReportal
| Measure | Figure | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Active telephone subscriptions | 197.4 million, teledensity 91.07% | NCC industry statistics for August, updated 12 October 2026 |
| Internet subscriptions | 158.5 million, 158.1 million of them mobile | NCC, August figures, updated 12 October 2026 |
| Broadband subscriptions | 126.2 million, penetration 58.22% | NCC, August figures, updated 12 October 2026 |
| Subscriptions by network type | 4G 54.77%, 2G 36.05%, 3G 4.27%, 5G just under 5% | NCC, August figures, updated 12 October 2026 |
| Internet data used in the month | About 1.76 million terabytes | NCC, August figures, updated 12 October 2026 |
| Internet users (people) | 116 million, 47.5% of the population | DataReportal, 5 November 2026 |
| People not using the internet | 128 million, 52.5% | DataReportal, 5 November 2026 |
| Cellular mobile connections | 183 million, about 75% of the population | GSMA Intelligence via DataReportal, 5 November 2026 |
| Median download speed | 42.59 Mbps mobile, 36.04 Mbps fixed | Ookla via DataReportal, 5 November 2026 |
The NCC's broadband penetration rose from 51.97 percent in its December figures to 58.22 percent in August, and monthly data use reached the highest level in the NCC's monthly series in August. More Nigerians online on faster networks means more video, which is what TikTok, YouTube and Reels run on.
Why the Nigerian numbers do not match
- Subscriptions are not people. The NCC counts active SIMs and data plans. Many Nigerians carry two SIMs, so 158.5 million internet subscriptions sit beside 116 million internet users.
- Ad reach is not active users. Meta's ad tools state that estimated audience size is not a proxy for monthly or daily active users. The same holds for every platform's figure.
- Platforms correct their counts. Removing duplicate or false accounts can make reach fall even while real use grows, as with Facebook and Instagram this year.
- Surveys measure a slice. GWI asks internet users aged 16 and above, a more connected group than the whole country.
- Old reports linger. Many pages still quote last year's 47.8 million total. The 61.4 million figure from 5 November 2026 is the current one.
What this means for creators and brands in Nigeria
- Video first. TikTok and YouTube are the two largest and fastest growing audiences. Time your posts with our guide to the best time to post on TikTok in Nigeria.
- Facebook still sends the clicks. It sends most social media clicks to websites, according to StatCounter; our breakdown of Facebook ads cost in Nigeria shows what a campaign costs.
- WhatsApp and Telegram carry the conversation. In GWI's survey 96.8 percent of Nigerian internet users use WhatsApp and 77.7 percent use Telegram, so a broadcast channel is worth running next to your public profiles.
- Ads and social proof work together. Ads reach new people and can sell; a profile with followers and views convinces them to stay. Our comparison of an SMM panel and paid ads explains when each wins.
With 61.4 million accounts competing for attention, a new profile needs a first push. On Jeskie Panel, priced in naira today, 1,000 TikTok followers cost $1.26, 1,000 Instagram followers cost $2.34 and 1,000 YouTube subscribers cost $53.93. Compare every rate on our SMM panel Nigeria prices page, or read how to order in our guide to TikTok followers in Nigeria.
Open a free account (Google sign-up adds $0.078 (10 KES) to test with), top up in naira by bank transfer or bank card, paste your public link and start with a small order. See how fast it delivers, then order more. For the same numbers in East Africa, see our page on TikTok users in Kenya.
Key takeaways
- Nigeria had 61.4 million social media user identities, 47.5 percent of adults, up 14 million in a year (DataReportal, 5 November 2026).
- By ad reach TikTok leads with 61.4 million adults, then YouTube (36.0 million), Facebook (34.2 million) and Snapchat (26.4 million).
- In surveys WhatsApp is the most used app, named by 96.8 percent of internet users aged 16 and above.
- The NCC counted 158.5 million internet subscriptions and 58.22 percent broadband penetration in its August figures.
- Ad reach, subscriptions and surveys measure different things, so always quote the source and date with the number.
Questions people ask
How many social media users are in Nigeria?
Nigeria had 61.4 million social media user identities, 25.2 percent of the population and 47.5 percent of adults, according to DataReportal's report of 5 November 2026. That is up 14 million (+28.3 percent) in a year.
Which social media is most used in Nigeria?
WhatsApp, used by 96.8 percent of internet users aged 16 and above in GWI's survey, with Facebook close behind. By advertising reach, TikTok is largest with 61.4 million adults, ahead of YouTube and Facebook.
How many Nigerians use TikTok?
TikTok's ad tools reach 61.4 million users aged 18 and above in Nigeria, 47.5 percent of all adults, up 13.5 million in a year, according to DataReportal's report of 5 November 2026. Teenage users are not included.
How many Facebook users are in Nigeria?
Facebook's ad reach in Nigeria was 34.2 million, 26.5 percent of adults, in DataReportal's report of 5 November 2026. It fell 10.0 percent in a year, which DataReportal says can reflect Meta removing duplicate or false accounts.
How many Instagram users are in Nigeria?
Instagram's ad reach in Nigeria was 8.30 million, 6.4 percent of adults, in DataReportal's report of 5 November 2026. In GWI's survey, 89.5 percent of internet users aged 16 and above said they used Instagram in the past month.
How many Nigerians use X (Twitter)?
X's ad tools reach 6.78 million users in Nigeria, according to DataReportal's report of 5 November 2026. In GWI's survey, 80.0 percent of internet users aged 16 and above said they used X in the past month.
How many YouTube users are in Nigeria?
YouTube's ad reach in Nigeria was 36.0 million, 31.1 percent of internet users, up 5.50 million (+18.0 percent) in a year, according to DataReportal's report of 5 November 2026.
How many internet users are in Nigeria?
DataReportal counts 116 million internet users, 47.5 percent of the population, on 5 November 2026. The NCC counted 158.5 million internet subscriptions in its August figures, but those are SIMs and data plans, not people.
What percentage of Nigerians use social media?
25.2 percent of the whole population, 47.5 percent of adults aged 18 and above and 53.0 percent of internet users, according to DataReportal's report of 5 November 2026.
Why do websites give different numbers for Nigeria?
They measure different things: ad reach counts accounts, the NCC counts subscriptions, surveys ask internet users, and many pages still quote last year's 47.8 million. Use the newest figure and quote its source and date.
How can I grow a social media account in Nigeria?
Post video at peak hours, use WhatsApp to share it and give new posts a first push. On Jeskie Panel 1,000 TikTok followers cost $1.26, paid in naira by bank transfer or card.
Sources
- DataReportal (Simon Kemp), Digital 2027: Nigeria, published 5 November 2026 (platform ad reach, GWI survey, GSMA, Ookla, UN), https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2027-nigeria
- DataReportal (Simon Kemp), Digital 2026: Nigeria, published 8 November 2025, https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2026-nigeria
- Nigerian Communications Commission, Industry Statistics (August figures, updated 12 October 2026), https://ncc.gov.ng/market-data-reports/industry-statistics
- StatCounter Global Stats, Social media stats Nigeria (October, read 9 November 2026), https://gs.statcounter.com/social-media-stats/all/nigeria
- Techeconomy, TikTok removes 4.8 million videos in Nigeria (24 July 2026), https://techeconomy.ng/tiktok-removes-4-8-million-videos-in-nigeria-in-q1-2026-suspends-120000-live-sessions/
- Jeskie Panel services page, live prices
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