Report: 88% of Nigerian adults use AI chatbots, far ahead of global average

Eighty-eight per cent of Nigerian adults have used an AI chatbot. That single figure sets the tone for Google and Ipsos’ newly released report, Our Life with AI: Helpfulness in the Hands of More People. It represents a striking 18-point jump from 2024 and places Nigeria well ahead of the global average of 62 per cent.

More importantly, it signals a country moving faster than most in turning artificial intelligence from novelty into utility.

The study paints a picture of a country that is not merely experimenting with AI but actively integrating it into daily life. From classrooms to offices and small businesses, AI tools are being used with purpose. The result is one of the highest adoption rates recorded anywhere in the world.

What stands out is how deliberate this usage appears to be. Nigerians are not just testing chatbots out of curiosity. They are using them to solve real problems: learning tops the list. Ninety-three per cent of Nigerian respondents say they use AI to learn or understand complex topics.

That is far above the global figure of 74 per cent and suggests AI has become a core learning aid rather than a novelty.

Work follows closely behind. Ninety-one per cent of Nigerians report using AI to support their jobs. This ranges from drafting and research to planning and problem-solving. In a labour market shaped by competition and rapid change, AI has increasingly become a productivity partner, not a threat.

AI use in the last 12 months

Entrepreneurship is where Nigeria’s numbers become even more revealing. Eighty per cent of respondents say they are using AI to explore a new business or career change. Globally, that figure sits at 42 per cent.

The gap reflects Nigeria’s strong culture of self-employment and side hustles, now amplified by accessible AI tools that reduce costs and skill barriers.

Commenting on the report, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s Communications and Public Affairs Manager for West Africa, says, “It’s inspiring to see how Nigerians are creatively and purposefully using AI to unlock new opportunities for learning, growth, and economic empowerment.” 

“This report doesn’t just show high adoption rates; it tells the story of a nation that is actively shaping its future with technology, using AI as a tool to accelerate progress and achieve its ambitions. We’re committed to ensuring that AI remains a helpful and accessible tool for everyone,” he adds.

Also read: Artificial Intelligence to add $1 trillion to Africa’s GDP by 2035- AfDB report

Why Nigeria’s AI optimism matters

Beyond usage, sentiment is where Nigeria truly diverges from global patterns. The report finds that 80 per cent of Nigerians are more excited about the possibilities of AI than concerned about its risks.

Globally, opinion is far more divided. Among Nigerians who use AI frequently, excitement rises to 90 per cent.

Education plays a central role in this optimism. Ninety-one per cent of respondents believe AI is having a positive impact on how people learn and access information. An even higher 95 per cent believe university students and educators will benefit from AI.

These views suggest a strong belief that AI can close knowledge gaps rather than widen them.

This optimism is not without context. Nigeria has a young, digitally fluent population and a history of adopting mobile and internet technologies quickly once they become affordable. AI chatbots fit naturally into this pattern. They run on devices people already own and address immediate needs, from exam preparation to business planning.

However, the report also raises important questions. Rapid adoption increases the urgency around digital literacy, data privacy and misinformation. If AI is becoming a daily tool for learning and work, then understanding its limits becomes as important as celebrating its potential. Policymakers, educators, and technology companies will need to move just as quickly as users.

The report is a testament to Nigeria’s growing appetite for emerging technologies. From digital banking to crypto and now AI woven into how millions of people learn, work and plan their next move, the country is living its tech dream.

For the global tech industry, Nigeria is no longer a peripheral market in the AI conversation; it’s a leading one.

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