REVEALED: Countries That Spent The Most Time on Mobile Phones in 2025

Nigeria has emerged as one of the most mobile-engaged countries in the world, underscoring the rapid rise of its digital economy and the growing centrality of smartphones to everyday life.

In 2025, Nigerians spent a combined 129 billion hours on mobile phones, placing the country firmly among the global top 10 for mobile time spent, according to the State of Mobile 2026 report by analytics firm Sensor Tower.

Globally, smartphone users logged a staggering 5.3 trillion hours on iOS and Android devices during the year, a 3.8% increase year-on-year, highlighting how mobile devices continue to dominate digital behaviour even as overall growth begins to stabilise.

Nigeria’s Mobile Obsession Signals a Growing Digital Economy

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.