As part of the dissemination of outcomes of the news consumption trend analysis for 2021, our analyst has also discovered that Nigerians searched and read news categories earlier reported less despite growth in internet data subscription during the year. Generally, existing statistics shows that the internet penetration is 50.2%, while the mobile internet user penetration is equally increasing.
According to the Statista, “as of August 2021, already 48 percent of the Nigerian population was using a mobile device to access the internet. In 2026, almost all the internet users are expected to use a mobile device, 59,7 percent of 59.9 percent of total internet use.”
Exhibit 1: Mobile Internet Subscribers per month in 2021
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Looking at our data and the number of mobile internet subscribers, it emerged that the subscribers utilized their data for news consumption less during the period. While the subscribers were growing in three-digit of six digits of million, the volume of news consumption was in a one-digit of six digits of million [see Exhibit 1 and Exhibit 2].
Analysis of 69, 293,000 volume of news along with the mobile data subscribers reveals a negative connection of 5.1%. This suggests that the subscribers deployed their data less for news consumption. With this outcome, our analyst notes that it could be said that Nigerians used other categories of internet data subscriptions such as fixed wire or wireless during the year.
Exhibit 2: Volume of News Consumption per month
Meanwhile, analysis further indicates that sports, education, politics and health news categories were consumed most when the volume of news was considered along with the categories of news [see Exhibit 3]. Despite the fact that the earlier report indicates a high level of consuming happenings and events related to lifestyle, our latest analysis establishes less consumption of the news category in a significant proportion [see Exhibit 3].
Exhibit 3: Trending of News Volume with the News Categories
It is surprising that the internet users did not deploy their data significantly for consumption of crime news. With these outcomes, our analyst notes that majority of the users might have missed information that could have helped them in making the right decision before and while engaging in business activities including personal and corporate safety.
From the insights, there is a need for a national news consumption campaign. This could be championed by the National Orientation Agency and civil society organisations with interest in information and society development. This campaign is necessary as the country looks for holistic solutions to its various challenges. Our analyst believes that teaching and guiding people on the importance of consuming business and crime news reports would go in a long way of possessing minds that would help in joining government in finding solutions to the socioeconomic and political issues in the country.