Nigerian developers earned $13 million (N10.10 billion at N777/$) from the Android app economy in 2023, according to a report commissioned by Google. Titled “The Digital Opportunity of Nigeria,” the report by global research firm Public First also revealed that the Android developer ecosystem supports over 24,500 jobs nationwide.
This figure represents 1.86 percent of the estimated $700 million earned by Sub-Saharan African developers in 2023. The region’s vibrant and youthful developer community, numbering over 500,000, positions it well for future growth, with South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya each housing more than 50,000 developers.
Google emphasized the importance of its mobile ecosystem—comprising Android and the Google Play Store—in facilitating this growth by providing essential resources for developers to distribute their apps and services effectively.
In Nigeria, Android is particularly vital, as most citizens access the internet via Android-powered mobile devices. The tech giant also noted that Android’s compatibility across various devices eliminates the need for multiple app versions, significantly enhancing productivity. “We estimate that Android has saved app developers in Nigeria over 144,000 days—equivalent to $2.4 million in reduced development costs,” the report states.
