Nigeria is among the countries with the widest mobile internet gender gaps in the world despite recording near-universal levels of mobile phone ownership, according to the GSMA’s Mobile Gender Gap Report 2026.

The report identifies Nigeria as one of the five countries with the largest disparities between male and female mobile internet users among 14 low- and middle-income countries surveyed, highlighting persistent barriers preventing millions of women from fully participating in the digital economy.

According to the report, women in Nigeria are 26% less likely than men to use mobile internet. While 56% of men in the country use mobile internet, only 42% of women do so, placing Nigeria among countries with the widest mobile internet adoption gaps alongside Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Uganda and India.

The findings come even as mobile phone ownership in Nigeria has reached near-universal levels. The report shows that 96% of men and 94% of women own a mobile phone, resulting in a relatively narrow mobile ownership gender gap of just 2%.

While awareness of mobile internet is relatively high in Nigeria, many women still lack access to internet-enabled devices. The report shows that 90% of Nigerian women are aware of mobile internet, yet only 59% own an internet-enabled handset and just 42% use mobile internet. By comparison, 93% of Nigerian men are aware of mobile internet, 70% own an internet-enabled handset and 56% use mobile internet.

Gender gaps in mobile internet wider than mobile ownership

The disparity suggests that owning a phone does not necessarily translate into internet access, particularly for women.

According to the report, gender gaps in mobile internet adoption are wider than those in mobile ownership in nearly all surveyed markets, including countries such as Nigeria where ownership levels among men and women are largely comparable.

The report points to smartphone ownership as one of the key factors behind the gap.

While awareness of mobile internet is relatively high in Nigeria, many women still lack access to internet-enabled devices. The report shows that 90% of Nigerian women are aware of mobile internet, yet only 59% own an internet-enabled handset and just 42% use mobile internet. By comparison, 93% of Nigerian men are aware of mobile internet, 70% own an internet-enabled handset and 56% use mobile internet.

The report says that the largest drop-off in the journey to internet adoption occurs between awareness and ownership of internet-enabled devices.

“Focusing on efforts to increase internet-enabled phone ownership among women who are already aware of mobile internet,” according to the report, “is likely to be the most effective way to significantly reduce the gender gap in mobile internet adoption.”

Despite the challenges, the report highlights encouraging progress in Nigeria over the past year.

Nigeria was among six countries where the mobile internet gender gap narrowed between 2024 and 2025 as women adopted mobile internet at a faster rate than men.

The report also recorded a significant shift towards smartphone ownership among Nigerian women. Between 2024 and 2025, women’s basic phone ownership declined by 10% while smartphone ownership increased by the same margin. Men also recorded a rise in smartphone ownership during the period.

According to the report, smartphone ownership plays a crucial role in determining whether people use mobile internet and how extensively they use digital services.

Across low- and middle-income countries, 64% of women and 73% of men now own smartphones. However, around 840 million women still do not own a smartphone, while women remain 13% less likely than men to own one.

The report further identifies affordability, particularly the cost of handsets, as one of the biggest barriers preventing women from accessing mobile technology and mobile internet services. Literacy and digital skills also remain significant obstacles.

Beyond device ownership, the report warns that rural women face even greater challenges accessing digital services.

“Addressing rural gender gaps is essential to advancing digital inclusion for women overall. In particular, women who live in rural areas tend to have limited physical access to essential services and may have the most to gain from better access to mobile and mobile internet,” the report says.

Across all low- and middle-income countries, 65% of women now use mobile internet compared with 74% of men, leaving around 200 million fewer women connected than men. More than 810 million women remain offline, according to the report.

The report says closing the mobile internet gender gap could generate substantial economic benefits. According to GSMA estimates, narrowing the gap could contribute $1.3 trillion to global GDP between 2023 and 2030, while creating new opportunities for women, businesses and communities in increasingly digital economies.