New independent research highlights the significant economic impact of Meta's platforms in Nigeria, currently contributing an estimated $820 million in annual economic value. The "Nigeria’s Digital Economy" report, conducted by Public First, suggests this figure could expand to $2 billion as digital adoption deepens, positioning Meta’s platforms as essential digital infrastructure connecting Nigerian entrepreneurs to customers, markets, and new economic opportunities. The findings reveal that 14 million Nigerian SMEs utilized Meta’s applications—Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, Meta AI, and Threads—to establish and grow their businesses in 2025, collectively contributing $2 billion to Nigeria’s GDP and delivering an estimated $640 million in productivity gains through more efficient instant messaging.

The research also underscores the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) for Nigeria’s economy and innovation ecosystem. AI is projected to add $22 billion to Nigeria’s GDP by 2035, given the right combination of investment, policy, and innovation. A significant 87% of online Nigerians believe that AI products developed within Africa will be crucial for the continent’s economic growth, and open-source AI offers Nigerian developers, businesses, and creators the ability to build solutions tailored to local languages and needs.

WhatsApp is identified as Nigeria’s primary gateway to AI, playing a central role in connecting Nigerians to AI capabilities and new economic opportunities across the region. The platform serves as the main interface for Meta AI prompts, reflecting a broader Sub-Saharan African pattern where 93% of such prompts are made via WhatsApp, demonstrating how AI adoption in Nigeria is occurring through widely used everyday tools.

Balkissa Ide Siddo, Director of Public Policy, Sub-Saharan Africa at Meta, described Nigeria as "one of the most dynamic, entrepreneurial and digitally engaged markets in the world." She stated that Meta's platforms are effectively removing traditional barriers to growth and unlocking real economic opportunities, citing examples from tailors in Lagos reaching national customers via Instagram to small business owners in Kano taking orders on WhatsApp, and creators in Abuja building global audiences on Facebook. Siddo noted that 80% of Nigerians report improved access to reliable internet compared to a decade ago, indicating substantial progress. She added that with sustained investment in connectivity, smart policies supporting innovation, and the rise of open-source AI "built for and by Africans," Nigeria is exceptionally well-positioned to lead the continent's next decade of digital growth, with Meta affirming its role as a long-term partner.

For Nigerian small businesses, Meta’s platforms have emerged as key sales and discovery channels. A survey showed that 81% of online businesses expanded their customer base beyond their local geography through Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. This expansion reduces customer acquisition costs and provides businesses in areas like Kano with access to the same advertising and commerce tools available to businesses in Lagos, London, or New York. Additionally, 93% of online adults feel more connected to a wider community through Meta’s family of apps, highlighting the deep integration of these platforms into Nigerian daily life, commerce, and community.

Alison Neyle, Director at Public First, emphasized that Nigeria’s digital transformation "is creating new opportunities for businesses, creators and consumers alike." She confirmed that Meta's platforms are helping Nigerian firms grow across both formal and informal sectors, supporting entrepreneurship and strengthening participation in one of the world's most rapidly expanding digital economies. Neyle concluded that with the right combination of infrastructure, platform access, and open-source AI, the "upside for Nigeria is significant."