REVEALED: These Countries Spend the Most Time on Their Phones

Nigeria’s ranking reflects more than screen time—it signals a deeper shift in how Africans’ largest economy functions. With smartphones serving as gateways to banking, commerce, education, entertainment, transportation, and work, mobile devices have become the backbone of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem. From mobile payments and social commerce to streaming, messaging, and AI-powered tools, daily life is increasingly mobile-first. On average, people globally now spend over 3.6 hours per day on their phones—more than 13 minutes of every waking hour—and Nigeria is among the countries driving this trend. Top Countries by Mobile Time Spent in 2025 According to the report, the world’s most mobile-engaged markets were: India: 1.23 trillion hours Indonesia: 414 billion hours United States: 385 billion hours Brazil: 301 billion hours Russia: 200 billion hours Mexico: 175 billion hours Pakistan: 169 billion hours Philippines: 153 billion hours China Mainland: 148 billion hours Nigeria: 129 billion hours Nigeria’s mobile usage grew sharply from 110 billion hours in 2024, highlighting accelerating adoption and deeper engagement. Social Media, Payments, and AI Drive Usage Social media remained the single biggest driver of mobile engagement globally, accounting for nearly 2.5 trillion hours spent across apps in 2025—an average of 90 minutes per user per day. But one of the biggest shifts came from artificial intelligence. AI Assistant apps recorded a massive 426% surge in time spent, making them one of the fastest-growing app categories worldwide. For Nigeria, this trend reflects rising use of AI chatbots, productivity tools, content creation apps, and digital assistants, particularly among young users and entrepreneurs. Mobile payments and utility apps also saw increased engagement, reinforcing smartphones’ role as financial and productivity hubs in emerging markets. Why This Matters for Nigeria Agriculture, fintech, media, logistics, and small businesses are increasingly built around mobile platforms. As more Nigerians rely on smartphones for income generation and daily transactions, mobile engagement is becoming a key indicator of economic activity. Despite mobile usage beginning to plateau in some developed markets, emerging economies like Nigeria continue to show strong growth, driven by population size, youthful demographics, and expanding digital services. The data suggests that while Nigerians may not spend the most per user, the scale and intensity of engagement position the country as a critical growth market for global tech companies, app developers, advertisers, and investors. The Bigger Picture While time spent on mobile is stabilising globally, monetisation is accelerating, with in-app purchases, subscriptions, and digital services hitting record highs in 2025. For Nigeria, the challenge—and opportunity—lies in translating massive engagement into jobs, revenue, innovation, and inclusive growth within the digital economy.