Digital economy adds ₦7.37trn to Nigeria’s GDP in Q2 2025
Nigeria’s digital economy continued to show its weight in the country’s economic structure, contributing ₦7.37 trillion to the nation’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2025.
This accounted for 14.4 percent of the total ₦51.20 trillion GDP, according to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The sector, which covers information and communication (I&C) as well as financial institutions (FI), has emerged as one of Nigeria’s most consistent growth drivers.
In Q2 2025, I&C contributed 11.18 percent while FI added 3.23 percent. Combined, they ranked among the top 10 contributors to GDP, with I&C in fourth place and FI in ninth.
The country’s total real GDP grew by 4.23 percent during the quarter, compared to 3.13 percent in the first quarter of the year. This shows not only a steady expansion of the economy but also the strengthening role of the digital sector.
Telecommunications remain the backbone of the I&C sector. Out of its 11.18 percent share, telecoms accounted for a commanding 82.4 percent. Broadcasting followed with 12.7 percent, while sound and music production contributed 4.8 percent.
Publishing made up the smallest portion at 0.1 percent. Altogether, the sector grew 6.61 percent year-on-year in real terms and nearly 10 percent compared to the first quarter.
The financial institutions and insurance industries jointly contributed 3.23 percent to GDP in the quarter. Banks and fintech firms dominated with 87.5 percent of that share, while insurance added 12.5 percent.
In naira terms, financial institutions contributed ₦1.45 trillion, and insurance contributed about ₦198 billion.
The digital economy has not only secured its place in the country’s top-performing sectors but has also shown resilience. In Q1 2025, the sector’s contribution stood at 14.19 percent, or ₦7 trillion.
The latest figure of 14.4 percent indicates an incremental but steady improvement, further consolidating its upward trajectory compared with 11.8 percent in Q4 2024.
Other sectors that ranked above digital activities in Q2 include trade at 18.28 percent, crop production at 17.80 percent and real estate at 12.80 percent.
Livestock completed the top five with 5.90 percent. Still, the scale of Nigeria’s digital contributions highlights the shift towards a knowledge-driven economy, powered by connectivity and financial innovation.
Government officials have consistently highlighted the importance of digitalisation.
Earlier in the year, the minister of communications, innovation and digital economy, Bosun Tijani, disclosed that the sector attracted $191 million in foreign direct investment in Q1 2024 — a 900 percent jump from the $22 million recorded in the same period a year earlier.
He projected that the sector could generate $18.3 billion by 2026 if current momentum is sustained.
Industry watchers believe the figures from Q2 are proof of the digital sector’s growing impact.
With telecom companies like MTN Nigeria and Airtel expanding infrastructure, and fintech adoption spreading, the expectation is that the sector’s GDP share will continue to rise.
Nigeria’s GDP rebasing exercise, which now uses 2019 as its base year, also shows the longer arc of this growth. Real GDP expanded by 4.32 percent in 2022 and 3.04 percent in 2023, before climbing to 3.38 percent in 2024. Against this backdrop, the 4.23 percent growth in Q2 2025 reflects an economy increasingly shaped by digital forces.
For now, the digital economy is no longer just an emerging player. It is a cornerstone of Nigeria’s economic engine, linking millions of people through telecoms, fintech and financial services, and steadily pushing the country towards a more connected future.
