Nigeria was the first country to openly adopt the “1 for 2” affordability target, a strong commitment to ensuring that Nigerians can afford at least 1GB of data per month at a cost of no more than 2% of average monthly GNI.

In 2018 Nigeria met the “1 for 2” UN broadband target for affordability when the cost of 1GB of mobile prepaid data decreased to 1.6% of average monthly GNI/p.c. indicating some improvement in the ICT sector. In addition, Nigeria scored 58% on the 2018 Affordability Drivers Index which measures the progress made in policies towards access and infrastructure. While this is good progress it is important to stress that due to large income inequalities, a significant number of people cannot afford 1Gb of data. The most recent World Bank Atlas report indicates an estimated 86 million people in Nigeria lived in extreme poverty (less than $1.90/day) in 2013. The affordability gap is even more significant within lower income brackets and across gender with women, more likely to be left behind in digital transformation. This presentation will review the current state of digital inclusion in Nigeria, progress made and recommendations to speed up policy and regulatory reforms to make broadband affordable for everyone.