Nigeria ranks 7th in Africa in digital quality of life, 88th globally

Surfshark’s 5th annual Digital Quality of Life Index (DQL) has ranked Nigeria 88th in the world, dropping by two places from last year.

The DQL Index 2023 examined 121 nations (92 per cent of the global population) based on five core pillars that consist of 14 indicators. The study is based on the United Nations’ open-source information, the World Bank, and other sources. This year’s study includes four more countries than DQL 2022, reaffirming Surfshark’s commitment to global representation.

Out of the Index’s 5 pillars, Nigeria performed best in internet quality, claiming 62nd place, while facing challenges in internet affordability, ranking 108th.

The nation ranks 73rd in e-security, 88th in e-government, and 93rd in e-infrastructure. In the overall Index, Nigeria lags behind South Africa (72nd) and Kenya (76th). In Africa, Nigeria takes 7th place, with South Africa the leader in the region.

“In many nations, ‘digital quality of life’ has merged into the broader concept of overall ‘quality of life’. There’s no other way to look at it now that so many daily activities, including work, education, and leisure, are done online. That’s why it’s crucial to pinpoint the areas in which a nation’s digital quality of life thrives and where attention is needed, which is the precise purpose of the DQL Index,” says Surfshark’s spokeswoman, Gabriele Racaityte-Krasauske.

Compared to South Africa, Nigeria’s mobile internet is 31 per cent slower, while fixed broadband is 64 per cent slower. Since last year, mobile internet speed in Nigeria has improved by 87 per cent, while fixed broadband speed has grown by 33 per cent.

Globally, the internet is more affordable than last year.

Fixed internet is 11 per cent more affordable than last year—on average, people have to work 42 minutes less a month to afford it. Mobile internet is 26 per cent more affordable than last year—people have to work 41 minutes less to afford it.